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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Shameeka Jelenewicz, MA¹, Kimberly Ross, MPH¹, Loral Patchen-Torres, CNM², and Barbara W. Sugland, MPH, ScD¹. (1) Center for Applied Research and Technical Assistance, Inc., 1800 N. Charles St., Suite 902, Baltimore, MD 21201, 410-625-6250, sjelenewicz@cartainc.org, (2) TAPP, Division of Women's Services, Washington Hospital Center, 100 Iriving Street, NW, East Building - G105, Washington, DC 20010

Roughly 20 percent of all births to teens in the U.S. are repeat births and this figure has not changed substantially in the past several years. While many efforts attempt to meet the needs of teen parents, data on the quality of life, and access to community support services among this population are limited. Access to publicly funded health, social and education/work services is critical for empowering young mothers and reducing the risk of subsequent pregnancy and increasing success.

The Teen Alliance for Prepared Parenting (TAPP) is a subsequent teen pregnancy prevention program serving pregnant and/or parenting adolescent females in the District of Columbia. TAPP clients are primarily African-American and Latina adolescent females who live in the most marginalized communities in the nation's capitol. Responding to the powerful forces that shape the lives of these adolescents is a core mission of the TAPP program.

To strengthen the TAPP model, comprehensive profiles of teen mothers are developed using Quality of Life Domains to determine level of need and to assess receipt of services. Domains capture relationship with family, staff and baby's father; social, educational and financial supports; work, housing and family/personal dysfunction. Profiles are used to define risk (i.e., low, moderate, high) and are correlated with repeat pregnancy, services received and intensity of participation.

Meeting the needs of teen parents is critical for ensuring effective practice among youth in underserved communities. Implications for improving the quality of services to pregnant and parenting teens and promoting their success are discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• List key elements of a comprehensive subsequent pregnancy prevention program.
• Describe critical needs among a population of pregnant and parenting teen mothers
• Explain how quality of life domains influence the risk of subsequent teen pregnancy
• Illustrate a service assessment strategy designed to align the teen client’s need with appropriate receipt of clinical and social services

Keywords: Teen Pregnancy Prevention,

Related Web page: www.cartainc.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered