There is a need for sexual and reproductive health organisations, practitioners, and policies to build capacity to better engage with young adults' digital and data cultures. But what do young adults want from their sexual and reproductive healthcare providers? 

This report presents findings from Stage Two of the Australian Research Council Future Fellowship Project (2022 – 2026) Digital and data capabilities for sexual health policy and practice. It draws on workshops and interviews with young Australians (aged 18-29) and workshops with health professionals (aged 18-29), to explore how young adults are currently using data-driven digital technologies to support their sexual and reproductive health. It outlines the digital and data capabilities the sexual and reproductive health workforce needs and examines how leaders across the sector can best support digital transformation at the organisational level.

Key findings

• Young adults commonly use digital technologies and platforms (including websites and Google Reviews) to evaluate the accessibility, service offerings and ‘cultural fit’ of clinical services and healthcare practitioners. 
• Social media platforms offer health information and peer support in contexts where health consumers’ needs are currently unmet by formal sexual and reproductive health promotion and clinical care. 
• Digital cultures are especially valued as a site for validating lived experiences of sexual, reproductive and gender health, and sharing resources between friends, strangers and peers. 
• Resources shared include information on specific health conditions and local services, recent research findings (particularly for those seeking gender-affirming healthcare) and vocabulary to support self-advocacy in clinical settings.
• Participants believe that funders and policymakers in the sexual and reproductive health sectors are yet to fully acknowledge and account for the time, funding, infrastructure and training required to offer high quality digital services.