Hopelab & Well Being Trust 30
Digital Health Practices Among
Teens and Young Adults
Digital Health Practices
Digital Health Practices Among
Teens and Young Adults
The analysis presented here focuses on teens and young adults (TYAs)
as a whole and then moves on to a presentation of descriptive data
by age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, and symptoms of
depression.
Overall, TYAs report that they are deeply engaged in the pursuit
of health information and they say they are finding helpful resources.
This age group fans out across the digital health landscape, searching
for information, downloading apps, and learning from people who
share the same health concerns. Previous research has shown that
social media create meeting grounds for teens
14
and young adults
15
and these digital tools connect people not only to information, but
also to each other.
16
This study finds that social media has indeed
created a multitude of opportunities for young people to connect,
share, and create the health resources they need.
14
"The Common Sense Census: Media Use
by Tweens and Teens" (Common Sense
Media; November 3, 2015). See: https://
www.commonsensemedia.org/research/
the-common-sense-census-media-use-
by-tweens-and-teens
15
Social Media Fact Sheet (Pew Research
Center; January 2018). See: http://www.
pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/social-media/
16
Fox, S. and Duggan, M. "Health Online
2013: Peer-to-Peer Health Care" (Pew
Research Center; January 15, 2013). See:
http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/01/15/
peer-to-peer-health-care/
