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

Abstract #66826

Kirsten L. Johnson, MPH, Tulane University School of Public Health, Community Health Sciences Department, Tulane Xavier National Women's Center, 127 Elks Place (EP7), New Orleans, LA 70118, 504-988-8236, kjohnson@tulane.edu and Jeanette H. Magnus, MD, PhD, Community Health Sciences, Tulane University School of Public Health, 1440 Canal Street, SL 29, New Orleans, LA 70112.

Adolescent girls with low self-esteem are more likely to participate in unfavorable health behaviors. One third of all pregnancies in Louisiana are to teen mothers. Louisiana is ranked fourth highest in the country for rates of Chlamydia infections, 58% of the infections occurring in the 15-24 age group. The Tulane Xavier National Center of Women’s Health has created a program targeting minority, female adolescent’s self esteem. Selected adolescents will serve as peer health educators, teaching a health curriculum to younger minority girls while simultaneously enhancing their self-esteem. Our anticipated result is that adolescent girls who participate in Girls First, Then Women will be at a reduced risk for poor health outcomes.

Girls First, Then Women is an addition to an already successful sport and exercise summer camp program for inner city, poor, minority girls, ages 8-12 in New Orleans. Curriculum areas of Girls First, Then Women include: oral and physical hygiene, female development, menstruation, prevention of abuse, negotiation and communication skills, physical fitness as well as knowledge of self-esteem and self-efficacy. Through a multi-tiered evaluation for both the campers and adolescent health educators, Girls First, Then Women intends to demonstrate that the use of female adolescent health educators is effective in teaching young girls about health concerns and that female adolescent health educators exhibit increased self-esteem and self-efficacy after active leadership participation.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, participants will be able to:
• Describe a culturally competent program that enables girls to increase their self-esteem, self-concept and enhance their self-efficacy.
• Apply variations of Girls First, Then Women into existing adolescent health programs.

Keywords: Adolescents, Peer Education

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: GirlsFirst 201 St. Charles Ave. Suite 4411 New Orleans, LA 70170
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.