Cited by 183Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive HealthSexuality, Behavior, and TechnologyMobile Health and mHealth Applications

Interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion

Open access
Bailey, Julia V, Murray, Elizabeth, Rait, Greta, Mercer, Catherine H, Morris, Richard W, Peacock, Richard, Cassell, Jackie, Nazareth, Irwin·2010·Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sexual health promotion is a major public health challenge; there is huge potential for health promotion via technology such as the Internet. OBJECTIVES: To determine effects of interactive computer-based interventions (ICBI) for sexual health promotion, considering cognitive, behavioural, biological and economic outcomes. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched more than thirty databases for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on ICBI and sexual health, including CENTRAL, DARE, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, British Nursing Index, and PsycINFO. We also searched reference lists of published studies and contacted authors. All databases were searched from start date to November 2007, with no language restriction. SELECTION CRITERIA: RCTs of interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion, involving participants of any age, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or nationality. 'Interactive' was defined as packages that require contributions from users to produce tailored material and feedback that is personally relevant. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors screened abstracts, applied eligibility and quality criteria and extracted data. Results of RCTs were pooled using a random-effects model with standardised mean differences (SMDs) for continuous outcomes and odds ratios (ORs) for binary outcomes. We assessed heterogeneity using the I(2) statistic. Separate meta-analyses were conducted by type of comparator: 1) minimal intervention such as usual practice or leaflet, 2) face-to-face intervention or 3) a different design of ICBI; and by type of outcome (cognitive, behavioural, biological outcomes). MAIN RESULTS: We identified 15 RCTs of ICBI conducted in various settings and populations (3917 participants). Comparing ICBI to 'minimal interventions' such as usual practice, meta-analyses showed statistically significant effects as follows: moderate effect on sexual health knowledge (SMD 0.72, 95% CI 0.27 to 1.18); small effect on safer sex self-efficacy (SMD 0.17, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.29); small effect on safer-sex intentions (SMD 0.16, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.30); and also an effect on sexual behaviour (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.59). Data were insufficient for meta-analysis of biological outcomes and analysis of cost-effectiveness.In comparison with face-to-face sexual health interventions, meta-analysis was only possible for sexual health knowledge, showing that ICBI were more effective (SMD 0.36, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.58). Two further trials reported no difference in knowledge between ICBI and face-to-face intervention, but data were not available for pooling. There were insufficient data to analyse other types of outcome.No studies measured potential harms (apart from reporting any deterioration in measured outcomes). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: ICBI are effective tools for learning about sexual health, and they also show positive effects on self-efficacy, intention and sexual behaviour. More research is needed to establish whether ICBI can impact on biological outcomes, to understand how interventions might work, and whether they are cost-effective.

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  • Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of Web-based interventions for specific behaviors including smoking cessation, reducing alcohol consumption, safer sexual behaviors, and increasing physical activity have positive findings, even if effect sizes tend to be small.

    “Hence, the positive findings of that numerous systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the effects of Web-based interventions for specific behaviors including smoking cessation [36], reducing alcohol consumption [37], safer sexual behaviors [34], and increasing physical activity [38] are reassuring even if the effect sizes tend to be small.”
  • Web-based interventions can improve knowledge.

    “Web-based interventions can improve knowledge.”
  • Some, but not all, Web-based interventions have a positive impact on mediators of behavior change such as intention and self-efficacy.

    “There are also data suggesting that some, but not all, Web-based interventions have a positive impact on mediators of behavior change such as intention and self-efficacy [34].”
  • There is a paucity of data on actual cost-effectiveness of Internet interventions, making it difficult to determine their actual, versus potential, cost-benefits.

    “There is also a paucity of data on actual cost-effectiveness of Internet interventions [17,34], making it difficult to determine their actual, versus potential, cost-benefits.”

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2 of the 147 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 11

  1. Avina 2006 {published data only} Avina C. An evaluation of a web-based sexual assault prevention program for college women. Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B 2006; Vol. 67, issue 3-B:1691.
  2. Redding CA, Prochaska JO, Rossi JS, Armstrong K, Coviello D, Pallonen U. Effectiveness of a randomized clinical trial of stage- matched interventions targeting condom use and smoking in urban young females (conference abstract). Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2002; Vol. 24:S061. Redding 2004 {published data only (unpublished sought but not used)}
  3. Redding CA, Morokoff PJ, Rossi JS, Meier KS, Hoeppner BB, Mayer K. Effectiveness of a computer-delivered TTM-tailored intervention at increasing condom use in at-risk heterosexual adults:RI Project Respect (conference abstract). Annals of Behavioural Medicine. 2004; Vol. 27:S113.
  4. VIDEO ADJ RECORDING OR DVD 25. COMPUTER-GRAPHICS#.DE. Interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 26. WORLD ADJ WIDE ADJ WEB OR WORLD-WIDE-WEB 27. WORLD-WIDE ADJ WEB OR WORLDWIDE ADJ WEB
  5. BULLETIN ADJ BOARD$ OR BULLETINBOARD$ OR MESSAGEBOARD$ OR MESSAGE ADJ BOARD$
  6. RUBBER ADJ DAMS Interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 134. RANDOMIZED-CONTROLLED-TRIAL#.
  7. DE. OR CLINICAL-TRIAL#.DE. 145. CLINIC$ WITH TRIAL$ 146. (SINGL$ OR DOUBL$ OR TREBL$ OR TRIPL$) WITH (BLIND$ OR MASK$) 147. PLACEBO#.W..DE. OR PLACEBO#.W..DE. 148. PLACEBO$ 149. RANDOM$ 150. LATIN ADJ SQUARE 151. 144 OR 145 OR 146 OR 147 OR 148 OR 149 OR 150 152. COMPARATIVE-STUDY#.DE. 153. COMPARATIVE ADJ STUDY 154. EVALUATION#.W..DE. 155. FOLLOW-UP#.DE. 156. PROSPECTIVE-STUDY#.DE. 157. CONTROL$ OR PROSPECTIV$ OR VOLUNTEER$ 158. CROSSOVER-PROCEDURE#.DE. 159. 152 OR 153 OR 154 OR 155 OR 156 OR 157 OR 158 160. 139 OR 151 OR 159 161. 160 NOT 143 162. 49 AND 133 AND 161 Interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Using Dialog Datastar platform
  8. computer$.TI., unrestricted Interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Cochrane Library Trusted evidence. Informed decisions. Better health. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 27. internet.TI., unrestricted 28. Internet#.
  9. bulletin ADJ board$ OR bulletinboard$ OR messageboard$ OR message ADJ board$).TI,AB 45. (interactive ADJ health ADJ communication$).TI,AB., 46. (interactive ADJ multimedia).TI,AB 47. (interactive ADJ televis$).TI,AB 48. (interactive ADJ technology).TI,AB 49. (interactive ADJ video).TI,AB 50. (E-health OR ehealth OR ehealth).TI,AB 51. (Consumer ADJ health ADJ informatic$).TI,AB 52. Virtual-Reality#.DE.
  10. DE. OR Sexually-Transmitted-Diseases-Viral#.DE Interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Cochrane Library Trusted evidence. Informed decisions. Better health. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 62. Sexual-Health#.DE 63. Sex-Education#.DE
  11. 93 OR 94 Interactive computer-based interventions for sexual health promotion (Review) Copyright © 2010 The Cochrane Collaboration. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Authors
Bailey, J. V., Murray, E., Rait, G., Mercer, C. H., Morris, R. W., Peacock, R., Cassell, J., & Nazareth, I.
Affiliations
  • The Royal Free Hospital (GB)
  • Mortimer Market Centre (GB)
  • Archway Healthcare Library; Holborn Union Building Archway Campus, Highgate Hill London UK N19 5LW
  • Brighton and Sussex Medical School (GB)
Venue
Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2010-09-08
Volume
2010
Issue
9
Pages
CD006483-CD006483
ISSN
  • 1361-6137 (ISSN-L)
  • 1465-1858
OpenAlex
W1826230558
Cited by
183
References
147
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 11 · 2017: 24 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 14 · 2012: 16
FWCI
2.45
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
National Institute for Health and Care Research (CL-2006-18-009)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
Keywords
sexual health promotion, sexual health knowledge, sexual behavior, face-to-face intervention, personalized feedback, internet-based health interventions, cost-effectiveness, HIV prevention, sexually transmitted infections, young adults, older adults, people with disabilities, sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual minority health
MeSH terms
Computer-Assisted Instruction, Health Promotion, Humans, Sex Education, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

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