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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Patricia J. Kelly, School of Nursing, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 2220 Holmes, Kansas City, MO 64108, 816-235-2617, kellypj@umkc.edu

Purpose: To address the interrelated sexual and dating violence behaviors of girls in the juvenile justice system (JJS), we compared the relative impact of a six-hour peer-led intervention addressing these risk behaviors with that of the same material presented in a standard lecture-video format.

Methods: A cyclic cohort study with alternating intervention and control programs was offered to girls at six sites in a county JJS. Data was collected on relevant knowledge, attitudes, and practices pre, immediately post, and six months post intervention.

Results: We conducted thirty programs in jails, alternative schools, probation offices, and treatment centers. There were no significant differences in outcomes between the 573 girls in the intervention and control groups in terms of knowledge, attitudes, or self-efficacy. However, girls in the intervention group had significantly greater use of condoms, defusing communication skills, and accessing community resources.

Conclusions: A variety of strategies must be used to meet the needs of this population of high-risk girls. Issues of time, access, and resources must be calculated for programs that can be reproduced.

Learning Objectives:

• Articulate changing demographics of juvenile justice system
• Describe three background characteristics of girls in the juvenile justice system that put their health at risk
• Identify critical components of health promotion interventions with girls in the juvenile justice system

Keywords: Adolescent Health, Prisoners Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation