Community Based Abstinence Education: The SAM Program

The teenage (15 to 19) birth rate rose 3% in 2006, the first increase in fifteen years (CDC 2007). Of the 15 million new cases of sexually transmitted Infections annually in the U.S., 25% occur in adolescents (CDC, 2004). Low birth weight, premature births, child abuse and neglect, and infant mortality are other well-known risks associated with teen pregnancies (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 1998). Adolescent sexual activity is known to be associated with other at-risk behaviors. The Community-Based Abstinence Education Program is a federally funded abstinence-only initiative implemented in urban neighborhoods in Southeastern Pennsylvania targeting youth aged 12-18. Peer educators serve as trained Health Ambassadors to conduct the program over 10 weeks in schools, recreation centers, after school programs and summer camps. The curriculum focuses on values, decision making, self-esteem, communication, goal setting, and the benefits of abstinence from at-risk behaviors. Reunions that reinforce the message and family communication workshops are other tiers of the program. Public health nurses provide staff orientation, health-related consultations, and on-going supervision. A capstone experience, The Youth Education Explosion, is a summer event for participants and their families. This interactive day involves motivational speakers, workshops that reinforce key program components, and planned recreational activities. Evaluation research, an essential component of the program, evaluates the program's effectiveness in influencing the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of teens who participate in the program. Aggregate results of pre- and post tests and longitudinal evaluations at 6 and 12 months are reported.