Sonia K. González, MPH

Beyond RHISC

 

Abstract

Research shows that youth are tethered to their mobile devices to remain connected to social networks.  As such, assumptions are being made by providers and researchers that texting via mobile phones and social networking sites (SNS) are a viable way to reach vulnerable young people of color. This study sought to understand how information about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is obtained and shared (e.g., texting, SNS, in person) among young women of color who are participants of a peer education program and their networks. Four focus groups (n=29) were conducted with Black and Latina women (ages 16-22) in Red Hook, Brooklyn and surveys were collected from 22 of the participants. Through an iterative process of reading transcripts and discussing differences thematic domains were developed. Due to a small sample size, quantitative analysis included descriptive statistics and comparison between the peer health educators and others using SAS 9.3. Focus group domains, triangulated with survey findings, explored how young women of color from an isolated neighborhood used texting, internet searches, and SNS instant messaging to seek and share SRH information. Findings from this study suggest that urban young women of color are wary of these modes of communication to obtain and share personal information about SRH. Integrating texting via phones and SNS as a means to disseminate SRH information should be co-designed with communities of interest. This presentation will also discuss how these findings inform the development of future mobile research with young women of color.

 

About the Presenter

Sonia K. González, MPH
Community Health, CUNY School of Public Health at Hunter College

Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellow (NIMH)
sgonzalez1@gc.cuny.edu

Drawing from her training at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and over 15 years of HIV prevention experience working with hard-to-reach youth in Austin and New York, Sonia González has developed a strong interest in community and reproductive health. She has a proven track record working with adolescents in HIV prevention and is particularly interested in research concerning youth, community, family and HIV.

Among her many achievements, Ms. González co-founded the Young Women of Color HIV/AIDS Coalition; served as Deputy Director for Love Heals, a non-profit organization focused on HIV prevention among teens in NYC; and currently serves as the Co-Chair for the Adolescent Work Group of the New York City Prevention Planning Group of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. In the fall of 2009, she returned to school at The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, where she is earning a Doctorate of Public Health (DPH) with a focus on Community, Health & Society.

As a RHISC Fellow, I was able to leverage the training I received through the summer institutues that RHISC offered to learn practical skills, good practices and systems for conducting research. Learning how to navigate existing NIH systems, coupled with support from mentors and other fellows allowed me to develop a funded research proposal (National Research Service Award: 1F31MH099924-01) for my dissertation and establish clear next steps for my career.

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10 comments to Sonia K. González, MPH

  • Hello! Would you mind if I share your blog
    with my myspace group? There’s a lot of folks that
    I think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know.
    Thank you

  • Sonia K. Gonzalez

    Thanks so much for your comments, Profs. Letteney, Roberts, and Roye. I’m eager to continue my work in a culturally competent way that respectfully engages women and communities of color for many years to come.

    Dear Promisee, thanks for letting me know that the presentation inspired you to jump in. Good luck with your work!

    Best,
    Sonia

  • Carol Roye

    Very interesting study. There has been a tendency to jump on the “mobile device bandwagon” in order to disseminate reproductive health information to teens. This work suggests that it is not “one size fits all”. I look forward to reading about your work going forward.

  • Engaging, thoughtful presentation. It was always enlightening for me to spend time with Sonia thinking through her research. I look forward to many more opportunities to be excited by her work, not only as a mentor, but also as a colleague.

    Lynn Roberts
    CUNY School of Public Health
    2180 Third Avenue, Room 530
    New York, NY 10035
    lroberts@hunter.cuny.edu

  • Susan Letteney

    Thank you for an impressive presentation of your work. The voice and PPT aspects were of high quality, clear and engaging. Your research of mobile apps for sexual and reproductive health among young women of color is creative, timely and of vital importance. Best of luck in your promising career ahead.

    Susan Letteney
    Professor of Social Work
    York College CUNY
    The Collaborative Research Group on Health Policy and Promotion (CRG-HPP)

  • promisee

    Normally I don’t read article on blogs, but I would like to say that this write-up very pressured me to take a look at and do it! Your writing style has been surprised me. Thanks, quite nice article.

  • Sonia

    Dear Ms. Perez, Nelson, and Jessie,

    Thank you all for your comments. I’m eager to continue to build on this experience as I earn a DPH and move into post-graduate work.

    S

    Sonia K.González, MPH, DrPH Student
    Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Fellow (NIMH)
    Red Hook Initiative Board Member since 2009

  • Nelson Tiburcio

    Sonia,

    One word to describe this prsentation: Magnifico!

    Community based efforts such as this, are of magnum importance. Let’s continue to get that voice out, it really falls on us to do so; “keep on keeping on” girl!

    Felicidades!

    Nelson

  • Ms. Gonzalez,

    Thank you for this clear, succinct presentation. You took your keen observation of Red Hook’s young Black and Latina women use of technology, and did something with it. Motivation and dissemination are vital in research.

    Just like your presentation, your career seems clearly on track.

    – Jennifer Perez
    Clinical Research Coordinator II
    Clinical & Translational Science Institute at Children’s National (CTSI-CN)
    Children’s National Medical Center
    Phone: 202-476-2761
    IMPAACT Lab Phone: 202-476-2621