title: Evaluation of Social Media Utilization by Latino Adolescents: Implications for Mobile Health Interventions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trends in social media use, including sending/receiving short message service (SMS) and social networking, are constantly changing, yet little is known about adolescent's utilization and behaviors. This longitudinal study examines social media utilization among Latino youths, and differences by sex and acculturation.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to examine Latino adolescents' social media utilization and behavior over a 16-month period, and to assess whether changes in use differed by sex and acculturation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study included 555 Latino youths aged 13-19 who completed baseline and 16-month follow-up surveys. Prevalence of social media utilization and frequency, by sex and acculturation categories, was examined using generalized estimating equations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women are more likely to use SMS, but men are significantly more likely to SMS a girl/boyfriend (P=.03). The use of Internet by men and women to research health information increased over time. Facebook use declined over time (P<.001), whereas use of YouTube (P=.03) and Instagram (P<.001) increased, especially among women and more US acculturated youths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Social media is ubiquitous in Latino adolescents' lives and may be a powerful mode for public health intervention delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Prevention and Community Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States. landry.mm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3906-0601
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.forename: Amita
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2358-5569
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vyas
authors.forename: Monique
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9028-3029
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.forename: Sara
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2076-3083
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Glick
authors.forename: Susan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8319-612X
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wood
keywords: Latino/a; acculturation; sex; short message service; social networking