IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsoctx/v15y2025i4p79-d1621214.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sextagram: Evaluating an Italian Instagram-Based Health Campaign Against AIDS

Author

Listed:
  • Pina Lalli

    (Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna, 40125 Bologna, Italy)

  • Claudia Capelli

    (Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Bologna, 40125 Bologna, Italy)

Abstract

The use of social media for disseminating health information to adolescents and young adults has garnered significant ttention, showing promising results. Younger audiences increasingly prefer social media and mobile aggregators for their informative needs, considering these platforms reliable sources, particularly for sexual health and general health topics. This paper discusses the findings of a two-year project conducted in Italy—in collaboration with a group of non-profit organizations—funded by The Ministry of Health, intending to explore social media-based health communication strategies aimed at prevention for individuals aged 18 to 25. The objective was to leverage Instagram to engage young people, enhancing awareness about the risks of STIs and HIV/AIDS and promoting preventive behaviors. By analyzing two contrasting perspectives on health communication methods and the results in terms of engagement metrics and user feedback in the chosen profile, the study provides insights into social approaches for health communication and social representations of sexuality in the digital age, demonstrating risks and advantages of the use of platforms to influence health knowledge among young audiences.

Suggested Citation

  • Pina Lalli & Claudia Capelli, 2025. "Sextagram: Evaluating an Italian Instagram-Based Health Campaign Against AIDS," Societies, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:15:y:2025:i:4:p:79-:d:1621214
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/4/79/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4698/15/4/79/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nazeema Isaacs & Xolani Ntinga & Thabo Keetsi & Lindelwa Bhembe & Bongumenzi Mthembu & Allanise Cloete & Candice Groenewald, 2024. "Are mHealth Interventions Effective in Improving the Uptake of Sexual and Reproductive Health Services among Adolescents? A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-17, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsoctx:v:15:y:2025:i:4:p:79-:d:1621214. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.