186955 Evaluation of the California Young Women's Collaborative

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Tracy Weitz, PhD, MPA , Director, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health (ANSIRH), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Amy G. Lam, PhD , National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, Berkeley, CA
Lisa Fu, MPH , California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, Los Angeles, CA
Miriam Yeung, MPA , National Asian and Pacific American Women's Forum, Takoma Park, MD
The California Young Women's Collaborative (CYWC) is a youth-led research and activism project that focuses on the reproductive health concerns of young Asian Pacific Islander (API) women across California campuses. This paper presents the results of the evaluation of the first cohort of women participating in the CYWC (n=11) from two Northern California universities. Quantitative data on skills development was collected at baseline and again at 6, 12, and 18 months. Qualitative data was collected through monthly journal responses to standardized prompts. In addition, a mid-program focus group explored successes achieved and challenges experienced in planning a research project to study reproductive health needs of Asian American women. Overall the evaluation demonstrates that an ethnically-diverse group of students participated in the CYWC and that the program was considered an enormous success by those who participated. Participants designed and conducted research studies of Asian American women attending the two university campuses. The participants also analyzed and disseminated the findings through innovative outreach efforts. In addition to successfully completing both research and activism, the program also led to a measurable increase in the participants' ability to discuss sexual and reproductive health and rights with family and friends.

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of the session, the participant in the session will be able to: Explain the goal of the California Young Women’s Collaborative (CYWC) Discuss the process of integrating research and activism Explore the results of the 1st year evaluation of the CYWC

Keywords: Asian and Pacific Islander Women, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I conducted the evaluation analysis.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Asian/Pacific Islander Health Across the Life Course
See more of: Asian Pacific Islander Caucus of APHA