ABSTRACT
High rates of teen birth and chlamydia and gonorrhea infection among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth suggest that sexual activity begins earlier than among other US teens. In the US, the term mobile health (m-health) has been used to describe the use of mobile phones and other wireless technologies to educate patients about preventive health services. As a result, adolescent health concerns are of particular interest to AI/AN communities. Media technologies are becoming increasingly imbedded in daily lives of American teens. Community-based participatory research (CBPR) offers a useful methodology to maximize cultural alignment and organizational fit between an intervention and its audience. Conducting research in AI/AN communities requires a deep understanding of tribal research processes and protocols and adherence to CBPR principles. Finally, this chapter describes mobile and online programs offer culturally appropriate sexual health education across the age span, from pre-teen (10-12 years) to teen (12-14 years) to young adult (15-25 years).
