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Pat W. Mosena, PhD, Holly Ruch-Ross, ScD, and Suzanne McLone, MPH. Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Project, 5646 S. Kimbark Ave., Chicago, IL 60637, 773-288-1682, mosena@aol.com

The Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Program (ISPP) assists adolescent mothers in delaying second pregnancies by providing reproductive health training and support through group meetings and on-going individual support. A written attitude and behavior assessment is administered to participants at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of each program year which includes an 11-item contraception attitude scale (CA) (T1: α= 0.50; T2: α=0.63), and the 8-item Chernin Contraceptive Self-Efficacy scale (CSE) (T1:α= 0.78; T2: α=0.82). This analysis examines the data from 2000-01 to 2004-05 (N=374). From T1 to T2, CA increased (37.4 to 39.0) and CSE decreased (15.0 to 14.0). Participants reported substantial increases in contraception use at last intercourse (T1=58.6%, T2=86.0%), condom use at last intercourse (T1=50.4%, T2=72.2%), and using condoms “always” the previous 90 days (T1=28.5%, T2=44.3%). At T1, African American participants and all three categories of contraception/condom users had HIGHER CA scores (p<0.05). At T2, the effect for African Americans disappears, but the relationships with contraception and condom use remain. At T1, Puerto Rican participants and pregnant (versus parenting) participants had HIGER CSE scores (p<0.05), while those who reported using contraception at last intercourse had LOWER CSE scores (p<0.05). At T2, all three categories of contraception/condom users had LOWER CSE (p<0.05). As expected, attitudes towards contraception and reported contraception use headed in the same direction. It is hypothesized that lower CSE scores correlate with more “realistic” expectations regarding sexual and contraceptive decision-making. Multivariate analyses are used to examine relationships between CA, CSE, behavior and possible program effects.

Learning Objectives:

• 1) To discuss factors which contribute to the successful reproductive health education of participants in the Illinois Subsequent Pregnancy Program, a program to delay second pregnancies among diverse groups of adolescent mothers.
• 2) To identify differences at the beginning of the program year based upon assessment data which may predict those participants who might be in need of more intensive intervention in order to successfully complete the program.
• 3) To recognize factors which might increase the likelihood that participants will use contraception correctly and consistently.

Keywords: Teen Pregnancy, Contraceptives

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered