Author: Olivia McKinnis | Major: College of Education and Health Professions | Semester: Spring 2024

Hi, my name is Olivia McKinnis and I recently graduated with honors from the College of Education and Health Professions with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health with a minor in Medical Humanities. My research mentor was Professor Emily Richardson of the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing, and we finished up my research and thesis this last semester during the Spring of 2024. I am currently studying for the MCAT and am in the process of applying to medical schools. I will be taking a gap year, during which I will be studying abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, for 6 weeks through DIS with the help of the Honors College Study Abroad Grant. Afterward, I will be moving back to Northwest Arkansas to work during my gap year and relax.

The purpose of my research was to examine from what sources adolescents, who reside in central southwestern states that lack mandated or have exclusively abstinence-based sexual education in schools, obtain information regarding diverse aspects of sexual health. The study provided a critical analysis of the sexual education sources of information for adolescents in the central southwestern region, contributing valuable insights into their information pathways. My findings indicated that adolescents typically first learn about the biology and knowledge of sex from family and school curriculum, while topics about sexual behaviors are sourced from media (internet, television, social media, books, magazines) and friends, and t]at adolescents view the media as the most helpful source of information for sex. The central southwestern region of the U.S. has some of the highest rates of teen pregnancy and STD/STIs in the country, so finding new ways to reduce these statistics is of huge importance. By having a baseline of what sources adolescents are learning about various sexual topics, the results can be used to help develop and strengthen comprehensive sex education curriculums tailored to regional needs.

Ever since I was in high school, I have had a passion for women’s health, particularly in underserved communities. In college, I realized that sexual health plays a very important role to not only in women’s health but in everyone’s health. Arkansas has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the country, and for 3 years I have had the privilege of volunteering with a Christian group that mentors teen moms in NWA which has only furthered my passion for women’s and sexual health. So, when I started looking for a research mentor and topic, I knew I wanted to do something in that category, if possible. My roommate, who was in the nursing school, suggested I reach out to Professor Richardson, who also shares a passion for public health and women’s health and guided me into developing the topic I did my research on. During my research, I learned about various experiences people my age had while developing their own sexual education. It led to multiple conversations with friends discussing the current state of our sex education system and how many of us where exposed to so many things at such young ages due to being the first generation to grow up with access to the internet. Some challenges I faced were how to analyze the data I had and how to collapse the categories to make it the most applicable to my audience to be used as a helpful resource. I was very thankful for the role my committee member, Dr. Bart Hammig, played in analyzing the data and giving me advice on how to go about organizing the evidence. Professor Richardson played a key role in guiding my research and meeting with me to provide feedback and encouragement but let me exercise a lot of freedom with my project and allowed me to take full initiative in the study. She was an invaluable source of information in guiding me through the process of writing my report and compiling research posters to present at symposiums. I presented my research at the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing 2nd Annual Nursing Science Day, COEHP Honors Research Symposium, and the National Undergraduate Research Symposium where I placed fifth in the Health category. Though I have graduated, Professor Richardson has been taking initiative in helping my research get published.