It is estimated that annually one million teenagers become pregnant in the U.S., and 40% of these pregnancies end in abortion. Negative consequences for teenage parents may include economic and health risks to mother and child. Adolescent pregnancy is a complex problem with multiple antecedents, and it is not likely that any single intervention will have much effect. In one promising approach, local community centers, private and public organizations along with the local Department of Public Health collaborated to produce a multi-component adolescent pregnancy prevention program. The crucial element in the program is delivering a variety of interventions to the same youth by multiple service providers in a coordinated way. In this case-control study a total of 150 youth exposed to the program and 150 demographically matched control youth were interviewed in three-month intervals over the course of one year. Program and control youth were compared with respect to changes in beliefs and attitudes regarding pregnancy in addition to self-reported behavioral outcomes. Chi-square, factor analysis and logistic regression were used to identify underlying patterns and relationships between attitudes and beliefs regarding pregnancy, and familial support and teen pregnancy. Time trend analysis was conducted measuring changes in behaviors, attitudes, beliefs and intents over time and to determine if the risk of teen pregnancy changed over time in the program versus control group. This outcome evaluation of a comprehensive multi-component teen pregnancy prevention program enhances our awareness of this model and it replicability across diverse communities.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to: 1. Articulate the importance of comprehensive teen pregnancy prevention programs. 2. Apply recommendations generated by the evaluation to their own program. 3. Discuss what additional efforts might be taken to effectively engage youth at risk in prevention programs.
Keywords: Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Adolescents
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.