Young People's Health

Our aim is to improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents and young adults, prioritising emerging health and social issues that impact young people.

Group Heads

Associate Professor Megan SC Lim

About

We work to improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents and young adults. We prioritise emerging health and social issues that impact young people and aim to:

engage diverse young people

build evidence to understand emerging health and social issues

design and evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aiming to improve young people’s health.

Our focus is on young people experiencing disadvantage, particularly around:

sexual health

mental health

alcohol and other drug use.

Through research, we've influenced government policy around issues like sexting, online pornography and social media alcohol advertising. This gives young people a voice to power.

Our work includes:

conducting quantitative, qualitative and content analysis methods to understand emerging health threats

engaging diverse young people through design and participatory approaches

developing and evaluating interventions to educate, change behaviour and improve health

advocating for evidence-based policy and practice change.

We also deliver education on sex, relationships, and pornography. We work with young people to understand how they want to engage in research and health promotion.

To work or collaborate with us, get in touch via email.

Help shape youth health policy

Are you 15–29 years old? Share your ideas on what health topics to research by emailing youngpeopleshealth@burnet.edu.au or sign up to participate and hear about opportunities.

Current projects

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Young people’s health in Australia: statistics from the Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll survey

Every year, we survey young people about their sexual health, drug use, mental health and wellbeing. That data informs public health policies and programs.

MIDY: The Mobile Intervention for Drinking in Young People (pilot)

Binge drinking is a significant public health issue in Australia, but current health promotion strategies for reducing binge drinking are largely ineffective.

Understanding the needs of multicultural communities (VOICE partnership)

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Past projects

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Co-designing digital technologies to reduce young people’s exposure to online pornography

We're working with young people and their caregivers to review digital technologies that reduce access to online pornography.

Coping with COVID-19: Young people’s health and wellbeing in Australia

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented disruption. We’re engaging with young people to design public health solutions that help this group and others in uncertain times.

Exploring alcohol and other drug use among migrant communities in Victoria

The project explored alcohol and other drug use among culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Wyndham.

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News and features

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Burnet submission to the social media minimum age bill

Parents and teens prefer conversations over porn-blocking technology

Help, I’ve just discovered my teen has watched porn! What should I do?

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Featured publications

30 Jun 2017

Young Australians' use of pornography and associations with sexual risk behaviours

Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health

Alyce M. Vella, Megan S. C. Lim, Paul A. Agius, Elise R. Carrotte, Margaret Hellard, Megan S. C. Lim, Paul A. Agius, Elise R. Carrotte, Alyce M. Vella, Margaret Hellard

26 Mar 2023

Trends in testing of sexually transmissible infections (STIs), sexual health knowledge and behaviours, and pornography use in cross-sectional samples of young people in Victoria, Australia, 2015–21

Sexual Health

Sarah Eddy, Caitlin Douglass, Michelle Raggatt, Alexander Thomas, Megan S. C. Lim

29 Apr 2020

A Digital Pornography Literacy Resource Co-Designed With Vulnerable Young People: Development of "The Gist"

Journal of Medical Internet Research

Angela Davis, Paul Dietze, Margaret Hellard, Megan S. C. Lim

11 Mar 2023

Reusable period products: use and perceptions among young people in Victoria, Australia

BMC Women s Health

Caitlin Douglass, Caitlin Ramsay, Julie Hennegan, Sarah Eddy, Alexandra Head, Sarah Eddy, Caitlin Ramsay, Julie Hennegan, Caitlin Douglass, Alexandra Head

08 Dec 2020

‘Censorship is cancer’. Young people’s support for pornography-related initiatives

Sex Education

Kirsten Roode, Megan S. C. Lim, Angela Davis, Cassandra J. C. Wright, Megan S. C. Lim, Kirsten Roode, Angela Davis, Cassandra J. C. Wright

05 Nov 2024

Exploring the Feasibility and Acceptability of Technological Interventions to Prevent Adolescents’ Exposure to Online Pornography: Qualitative Research

JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting

Jake Turvey, Natasha Castree, Megan S. C. Lim, Jake Turvey, Natasha Castree, Megan S. C. Lim

25 Jun 2022

“You have to drink with a little bit of shame”: Alcohol and other drug use among young people from migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds in Melbourne, Australia

Journal of Ethnicity in Substance Abuse

Caitlin Douglass, Danielle Horyniak, Margaret Hellard, Megan S. C. Lim

18 Jan 2022

Young Adults’ Use of Different Social Media Platforms for Health Information: Insights From Web-Based Conversations

Journal of Medical Internet Research

Megan S. C. Lim

26 Jan 2020

Sexual Behaviors and Violence in Pornography: Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of Video Content Analyses

Journal of Medical Internet Research

Angela Davis, Elise R. Carrotte, Megan S. C. Lim, Elise R. Carrotte, Angela Davis, Megan S. C. Lim

Reports and other work

The Gist

The Gist is an Australian website providing straightforward, inclusive sex and relationship education for young people aged 15–24.
Visit The Gist website
Sex, Drugs and Rock 'n' Roll survey results

Burnet's 'Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll' survey is run annually since 2005, and collects data on young Australians' sexual health, drug use, and wellbeing to inform public health policies.
Young people’s health in Australia: statistics from the Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll survey
Young people and social connection: design brief

These design briefs outline strategies to improve social connection among young people through co-designed community projects and evidence-based initiatives.
Burnet Institute Young People And Social Connection Design Briefs [PDF 384.8 kB]

Social Connection Project report

Burnet report explores young Victorians’ experiences of social connection during COVID-19 and offers strategies to foster future connection.
Burnet Institute Young People Social Connection Project Report [PDF 872.6 kB]
Young people coping with coronavirus: interim report

VicHealth report on COVID-19's impact highlights young Australians’ mental health challenges, emphasising support, communication, and youth involvement.
Young people coping with coronavirus: interim report [PDF 542 kB]
Coping with COVID: 3 month report

Burnet report reveals COVID-19’s impact 3 months after the start of the pandemic on young Australians’ health, social media use, mental health, and concerns about education and vaccination.
Coping With Covid 3 Month Report [PDF 481.3 kB]
Coping with COVID: 6 month report

Burnet report highlights COVID-19’s effects 6 months after the start of the pandemic on young Australians’ diet, social media use, mental health, and concerns about education and vaccines.
Coping With Covid 6 Month Report [PDF 431.0 kB]
Intimate attidues, practices and knowledges

The report surveys Chinese-speaking international students in Australia, exploring sexual behaviors, STI knowledge, education, and pornography use for health promotion.
Intimate attidues, practices and knowledges