TY - JOUR T1 - Youths’ Knowledge and Perceptions of Health Risks Associated With Unprotected Oral Sex JF - The Annals of Family Medicine JO - Ann Fam Med SP - 72 LP - 76 DO - 10.1370/afm.2761 VL - 20 IS - 1 AU - Arianna Strome AU - N’dea Moore-Petinak AU - Marika Waselewski AU - Tammy Chang Y1 - 2022/01/01 UR - http://www.annfammed.org/content/20/1/72.abstract N2 - PURPOSE Although rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human papillomavirus (HPV)-related head and neck cancers associated with oral sex are increasing, less than 10% of youths report using protection. This study aims to assess youths’ knowledge and perceptions of oral sex risk and barriers to protection use.METHODS Our study uses MyVoice, a national text message poll of youths aged 14-24 years. Four open-ended probes were fielded to 1,215 youths in March 2019. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis and quantitative data were summarized with descriptive statistics.RESULTS Nine hundred and nine youths responded to the survey (relative risk [RR]=74.8%). Youths’ responses regarding why protection is frequently not used centered around: lack of education (22.4%), no perceived STI risk (19.8%), decreased pleasure (19.3%), and no pregnancy risk (15.7%). Youths believed that comprehensive education (53.7%), normalization in popular culture and media (19.1%), increased access to protection (15%), and improved protection options (10.5%) would increase protection use during oral sex.CONCLUSION Youths demonstrated limited knowledge of the risks of oral sex, dissatisfaction with current protection options, and a need for normalization in popular culture. Programs developed with youths in mind may be able to successfully increase protection use and decrease rates of STI transmission and oral sex-related HPV head and neck cancer.VISUAL ABSTRACT ER -