What did we learn in Stage One? 

Our key finding was that ‘digital literacy’ was not much discussed in the context of sexual and reproductive health research or practice. Where it WAS discussed, it was mostly presumed to be an issue (and possible deficit) among health consumers, not for health workers or health organisations.  

‘Data literacy’ didn’t appear in the literature, and our interviewees agreed it was not a common concept for sexual and reproductive health research or practice in Australia. 

What did we conclude? 

Drawing on Commonwealth policy [LINK TO RESOURCES] and recent research from the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making + Society, we shifted our terminology from ‘literacies’ to ‘capabilities’.  

This shift was also supported by our cross-disciplinary reading. Research suggests that it can be an unhelpful and even stigmatising concept – particularly when new technologies mean that otherwise competent and experienced professionals are encouraged see themselves or others as ‘digitally illiterate’. 

You can hear more about our conceptual shift from literacies to capabilities in this 45 minute seminar for our colleagues at UNSW, or in this short explainer (which is only 2 minutes long). 

Stage One research findings were shared in a report and webinar in July 2023. You can watch the webinar here and read the report here.  

Stage Two (2024) 

We conducted two rounds of online workshops with young adults conducted in 2024. The first involved 8 workshops and two individual interviews with thirty-two young adults (18-29) who use digital and data technologies and platforms for their sexual and reproductive health (Table Two).  

Firstly, we asked young adults to share their understanding of how participation in digital sexual cultures and/or use of digital platforms contributes to sexual and reproductive health.  

We also asked participants to imagine the kinds of digital resources and training they thought would support professional development and workplace learning in sexual and reproductive health contexts (including clinical and health promotion).  

The second round of workshops invited ‘young adult’ (18-29-year-old) sexual and reproductive health professionals to sense-check findings from the initial stages of our research. We also asked them to share their thoughts on best approaches for digital and data capacity building in the Australian SRH sector.  

What did we learn?  

This website’s conceptual and design draws on the generous insights offered in Stages One and Two, and we are very grateful to all our participants. 

Findings from Stage Two research were launched in October 2024. You can watch the webinar here or read the report here.