Trends in Sexual and Reproductive Health Resources and Knowledge in Young Women [ID 1109]

INTRODUCTION: In 2009, a national unplanned pregnancy prevention campaign spotlighted concerning sexual and reproductive health (SRH) knowledge deficits in young adults who most trusted professionals (73%), but they most commonly used media and personal sources (67%) for SRH information. With the expansion of digital media and health care barriers during COVID-19, this study examines changes in SRH information sources and SRH knowledge deficits among active-duty females. METHODS: From August 2023 to May 2025, a 52-item SRH knowledge test evaluating anatomy, physiology, and clinical relevance domains was administered to active-duty females attending a walk-in contraceptive clinic. Scores below 60% defined a knowledge deficit. Participants reported what SRH information sources they sought out first, used most frequently, and perceived as most trustworthy. RESULTS: Among 342 survey respondents, SRH test scores averaged 78% (SD 10.6%), 80% (SD 19.3%), 79% (SD 23.1%), and 76% (SD 9.9%) for total, anatomy, physiology, and clinical relevance domains, respectively. Knowledge deficits were 4.7% total, 21.3% physiology, 15.5% anatomy, and 4.1% relevance. 80.8% perceived professionals as most reliable, but social media was the first (77.4%) and most frequent (67.2%) source of SRH information. Personal sources were the first source for 51.1% and most reliable for 41.0% of participants. Age and race did not change these trends in SRH sources. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Sexual and reproductive health knowledge deficits persist, but reliance on social media SRH information is increasing. Currently, professional SRH information sources are perceived as reliable, but are underutilized. This highlights the need for change in providing engaging, trustworthy, and accessible SRH education for young women.