East Kentucky reproductive health project: KET health Three60 videoclips & discussion

The East Kentucky Reproductive Health Project is a youth media and public education initiative that is engaging young women in the creation and dissemination of media art that explores the sexual and reproductive health experiences, concerns and needs of young women in Appalachian Kentucky. Central to the project is a culturally appropriate, peer-to-peer artistic engagement process and outreach campaign that provides young women with sufficient information to make responsible choices regarding their reproductive health, and empowers them to take greater control over this most basic facet of their lives. The project hopes to lay the foundation for individual and collective action for reproductive justice in Kentucky, including increased access and availability of comprehensive reproductive health care in the eastern region. Appalachia is unfortunately not unique in the United States as a region chronically underserved in the area of reproductive health. Little public attention has been paid to reproductive health, yet the need is formidable, especially among young women. Availability of information on reproductive health issues and access to options and care is limited, resulting in high rates of teen pregnancy, STIs, and cervical cancer. The lack of reproductive and sexual health information and services dovetails with poverty: the eight Eastern Kentucky counties reached by this initiative are all categorized as economically distressed. Despite the grim need this region represents, there is also unique opportunityas demonstrated in the media being presented to demonstrate the potential of media, particularly the power of narrative storytelling, to catalyze improvements in health and social well-being by encouraging dialogue on, boosting awareness of, and motivating action around reproductive and sexual health issues.