Social Media and Internet Dating Hangouts: Threat and Inference to Sexual and Reproductive Health of Adult Persons in Nigeria

Abstract

Observation show that Internet dating sites basically meant for meeting intimate friends and partners have witnessed more patronage than the traditional or conventional means in recent times. However, there have been benefits as well as risks associated with this unconventional ways of meeting casual or intimate friends and even partners. This study investigated the effect of internet dating sites and social media applications on sexual and reproductive health of young adults in Nigeria. An online questionnaire was adopted to assess the data in respect of the demographics, preferences and sexual effects of internet dating sites, sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnoses as perceived by the participants of the study. Simple percentages, mean and thematic analyses were used to investigate the opinions retrieved from respondents. Standard deviation analyses were run to investigate the mean age, motives and features of dating sites on sexual risk taking and sexual health. Findings from the data obtained show that internet dating sites features such as anonymity, accessibility, and contiguity are profound tools for derived pleasures by users. In addition, internet dating sites/social media apps facilitates major effects turning into risky sexual practices based on misinformation, dissimulation, impulsiveness, deceitfulness or promiscuity and emotional imbalance to persuade partners into sexual impulsiveness