Communicating Change: Affecting adolescent risk behaviors in an African-American urban community

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has identified multiple health affects associated with risky behaviors in adolescents. Title V, Section 510 of the Social Security Act established eight criteria (A-H) for federally funded abstinence education programs.

The Pursue Your Dreams: Let Your Journey Begin, You Can Do It program was created to prevent risky behaviors including abstinence from drugs, alcohol, violence and sexual activity until marriage. The methods and strategies used to conduct community-based participatory evaluation research will be discussed. The program, disseminated to predominately African-American, urban, youth to include other adolescents of various ethnicities ages 12 to 18 years incorporated an eight (8) chapter curriculum-based abstinence education plan designed to change knowledge, attitudes and beliefs toward risky behaviors.

In addition, Parent Abstinence Education Workshops, community rallies and summits were designed and implemented to engage and educate parents/caregivers. Additionally, School assemblies and community rallies and summits were implemented to mobilize and engage the community at-large. Program staff utilized innovative methods to communicate with teens about risky behaviors, including: performing arts and motivational speakers delivering healthy behavior messages in a culturally, competent manner, and the use of DVD's to enhance the curriculum.

Barriers included rapid program expansion and a percentage of students not in favor of abstinence. Evaluation design included: (1) tracking program implementation, (2) coalition/stakeholders satisfaction measures, and (3) assessment of program activities. Program activities were assessed participant attitudes and intentions through pre and post surveys for student in-class abstinence curriculum, school assemblies, parent abstinence education workshops, rallies and summits.