Preconception Peer Educators Program Strategies in Tennessee: A model for implementation and statewide integration

This project is collaboration between public institutions of higher education and the HHS Office of Minority Health. The goal is to train college students as preconception peer educators and charge them with educating fellow students and their communities on issues of reproductive health and wellness. Four students with an interest in maternal and child health are identified on each of the 5 participating campuses across Tennessee. Students commit to function on 3 levels: Level 1- Students conduct educational sessions on campus utilizing sororities, civic and campus student organizations. Level 2-Each campus is responsible for planning and executing 4 specific events. These include: A community baby shower, first birth day party, a “Pamper Me Well” event targeting young women, and a barber shop event targeting young men. Level 3- The student teams from each campus, which make up an active learning network across Tennessee, meet for monthly webcasts and in person biannually. These monthly meetings serve to increase knowledge, awareness, understanding and integration of systems in their areas of outreach and education. Results/Accomplishments: 50 students have been trained to date. 100% of the students trained experienced an increase in knowledge and an increase in comfort level in sharing health information with others. Campus and community members who have attended at least one of the sponsored events report an increase in health efficacy represented by a commitment to practice healthier habits including creating a reproductive life plan, taking folic acid, focusing on achieving a healthy weight, and striving for healthy relationships.