The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #55635

Helen Cagampang, PhD¹, Dean Sonneborn, MSW¹, Anna Ramirez, MPH², and Elena R. Berliner, MPH, MSW³. (1) Center for Reproductive Health Research and Policy, University of California at San Francisco, 3333 California Street, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94143-0936, 415-476-5146, hcagam@itsa.ucsf.edu, (2) Office of Family Planning, State of California Department of Health Services, 714 P Street #440, Sacramento, CA 95814, (3) Office of Family Planning, California Department of Health Services, 714 P Street, Room 550, Sacramento, CA 95814

In 1999, California’s Office of Community Challenge Grants funded 134 agencies to implement locally responsive pregnancy prevention interventions. Agencies from areas with the highest teen birth rates implemented abstinence-focused (ABS/ABS+YD), youth development (YD), and/or comprehensive family life education (CFLE, CFLE+YD) interventions. Pre/post surveys from participants and non-participants were collected to evaluate overall effectiveness and to assess four intervention approaches.

Matched surveys from 3,340 CCG participants and 860 non-participants (ages 14-19) measured four protective factors and five sexual behaviors. Demographics, group effects, program duration, and intervention approach were statistically controlled (SAS Proc Mix, Glimmix).

Participants’ mean scores on protective factors increased significantly between pretest and posttest. At pretest, participants scored significantly lower, and at post significantly higher, than non-participants on personal strengths (-1.14, post 0.49), self worth (-0.81, post 0.43), educational aspirations (-0.12, post 0.17), and reasons to wait (-0.12, post .30). CFLE, CFLE+YD, and YD participants reported significantly more protective factors.

Participants, compared to non-participants, reported significantly fewer partners at posttest (.54), positive trends on other behaviors, but were significantly less likely to use protection at last intercourse (-0.37). CFLE, and CFLE+YD and YD (but not ABS/ABS+YD) participants reported significantly fewer sexual risks at posttest than non-participants.

Disaggregation of results by program type revealed findings useful for parents, policy makers, and program developers. CFLE, CFLE+, and/or YD participants were more resilient, less likely to initiate, and if sexually active, more likely to practice safer sex. ABS/ABS+ participants remained at higher risk for teen pregnancy relative to the comparison group.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the presentation, participants will be able to:
• List 10 measures of program effectiveness used in this study;
• Identify 4 approaches to teen pregnancy prevention evaluated in this study;
• Assess intervention approaches using measrues of program effectiveness.

Keywords: Evaluation, Teen Pregnancy Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: California Department of Heath Services funds the Community Challenge Grant Program and the Statewide Evaluation. The results of the evaluation are reported in this study.