Abstract: Laurence Paquin School's Comprehensive Program for pregnant and parenting adolescents has been in operation since early 1970s.The present study is now undertaking a systematic study of Paquin School Program by interviewing and collecting cross-sectional and retrospective data from about 200 randomly chosen pregnant or parenting adolesccents from the Paquin School and another 200 randomly chosen pregnant or parenting adolescents (not enrolled in Paquin)from other schools of Baltimore City Public School System. Since the data collection for the second year is not yet complete, the present paper is based only on the data collected during the first year. Preliminary data from the study show that, for most of the adolescents, their current or past pregnancies are their first pregnancies at a very young age and that they are single, and coming from low-income families. With respect to the initiation of prenatal care in the first trimester,the Paquin School's enrollees have much lower infant mortality (8.5 per thousand live births), higher use of breast-feeding(43.2%),and higher male partner involvement with child (75.7%)than those of non-Paquin Enrollees (14.9 per thousand live births, 16.3%, and 68.0% respectively). Implications of these findings are discussed in the paper.
Learning Objectives: To assess the impact of a comprehensive school-based program with policy implication
Keywords: Adolescent Health, Breast Feeding
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.