A scoping review published in BMC Public Health has synthesized three decades of research on how adolescent and young adult males find, evaluate and use sexual and reproductive health information, identifying persistent gaps between general awareness and functional knowledge of key topics such as non-HIV sexually transmitted infections and fertility.
The review focused on males aged 17 to 24, a group whose transition to adulthood is often characterized by heightened sexual and reproductive health risks. The authors attribute these risks to rigid masculinity norms, insufficiently targeted health interventions, and a reluctance to seek formal care. This population increasingly relies on the internet and related digital technologies for health information, yet relatively little has been known about how young men assess the credibility of online content and which sources they turn to.
To map the field, the researchers searched eight databases—Medline, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycInfo, Sociological Abstracts, ERIC and Google Scholar—for peer-reviewed, English-language studies published between 1990 and 2024. Studies were eligible if they examined males aged 17 to 24 and focused on sexual and reproductive health literacy or information behaviour. The final sample comprised 48 studies, each of which was coded and analysed to identify major patterns, trends and thematic categories.
The review found that most of the included research was based in the USA and relied on quantitative methods, with a focus on sexually transmitted infections, contraceptives and information accessibility. Sample sizes ranged from as low as 14 to as high as 7,398 participants, and half of the studies focused exclusively on males.
From the coding process, the researchers identified seven major themes: types of sexual and reproductive health information sources, evaluation of information quality, functional sexual and reproductive health literacy, interactive sexual and reproductive health literacy, social determinants of information behaviour, effects of literacy on sexual and reproductive health outcomes, and strategies for improving literacy and information behaviour.
A central conclusion of the review is that a persistent gap exists between high general awareness and low functional knowledge of critical topics, particularly non-HIV sexually transmitted infections and fertility. According to the authors, this pattern suggests an expansion of information reach without a corresponding improvement in health competencies—in other words, young men may be encountering more information without becoming better equipped to understand or act on it.
The review also highlights the role of socio-cultural barriers in shaping how adolescent and young adult males engage with sexual and reproductive health information. Stigma, social and religious norms, and literacy gaps are identified as factors that healthcare providers and policymakers need to address when designing services for this population.
As a scoping review, the study summarizes and categorizes existing peer-reviewed research rather than generating new primary data on young men’s behaviour, and its findings are limited to English-language studies published between 1990 and 2024 that met the inclusion criteria.
The review’s authors are Ebenezer Martin-Yeboah and Anabel Quan-Haase, and the article was published as open access research in BMC Public Health.
Subject of Research: Scoping review of sexual and reproductive health literacy and information behaviour research on adolescent and young adult males
Article Title: Three decades of sexual and reproductive health literacy and information behaviour research on adolescent and young adult males: a scoping review
Article References: Martin-Yeboah, E., & Quan-Haase, A. (2026). Three decades of sexual and reproductive health literacy and information behaviour research on adolescent and young adult males: a scoping review. BMC Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-27653-1
Image Credits: AI Generated
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-27653-1
Keywords: scoping review, sexual and reproductive health, health literacy, adolescent males, young adult males, information behaviour, online health information, BMC Public Health, sexually transmitted infections, contraception, masculinity norms, digital health information
News Source: Ophelia Keating. (October 29, 2026). Scoping review maps three decades of research on young males’ sexual health literacy. Scienmag.
