Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Among Youths Living in Group Care Homes: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Overview

Journal Am J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2018 Feb 15

PMID 29443557

Citations 7

Authors

Roy F Oman

Sara K Vesely

Jennifer Green

Kristen Clements-Nolle

Minggen Lu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: To determine if the Power Through Choices (PTC) intervention can increase the use of birth control and reduce pregnancy among system-involved youths living in group care homes.

Methods: We performed a 2-arm cluster randomized controlled trial involving group care homes operated by child welfare or juvenile justice systems in California, Maryland, and Oklahoma with assessments immediately before and after the intervention, and at 6- and 12-month follow-up. We collected data from 2012 to 2014 via self-administered questionnaires. Participants (n = 1036) were young (mean age = 16.1 years), predominantly male (79%), racially/ethnically diverse (37% Hispanic, 20% Black, 21% White, 17% multiracial), and sexually experienced (88%).

Results: At 6-month follow-up, participants in the intervention group had significantly lower odds of having recent sexual intercourse without using birth control (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.52, 0.98). At 12-month follow-up assessment, participants in the intervention group had significantly lower odds of ever being pregnant or getting someone pregnant (AOR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.46, 0.99).

Conclusions: The results suggest that PTC is an effective sexual health education intervention that can be implemented with system-involved youths who represent a sexually experienced multiracial youth population.

Citing Articles

In the Know: A Cluster Randomized Trial of an In-person Sexual Health Education Program Integrating Digital Technologies for Adolescents.

Yarger J, Gutmann-Gonzalez A, Borgen N, Romero J, Decker M J Adolesc Health. 2024; 74(5):1019-1025.

PMID: 38323966 PMC: 11218833. DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.12.012.

Sexual Health among Youth in Residential Care in Spain: Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors.

Fernandez-Garcia O, Gil-Llario M, Ballester-Arnal R Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022; 19(19).

PMID: 36232248 PMC: 9564644. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912948.

Predictors of condom use among system-involved youth: The importance of Sex Ed.

Finigan-Carr N, Craddock J, Johnson T Child Youth Serv Rev. 2022; 127.

PMID: 36090583 PMC: 9457273. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2021.106130.

Improving the Sexual Health of Young People (under 25) in High-Risk Populations: A Systematic Review of Behavioural and Psychosocial Interventions.

Brown E, Lo Monaco S, ODonoghue B, Nolan H, Hughes E, Graham M Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021; 18(17).

PMID: 34501652 PMC: 8430747. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18179063.

"Even if you think you can trust them, don't trust them": An exploratory analysis of the lived experiences of sexual health among sexual minority girls in foster care.

Salerno J, Kachingwe O, Fish J, Parekh E, Geddings-Hayes M, Boekeloo B Child Youth Serv Rev. 2021; 116.

PMID: 34393310 PMC: 8356775. DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105161.

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