Teen Scene Investigators: Training Youth As Researchers in Adolescent Sexual Health

Texas had third highest teen birth rate in the nation and high rates of adolescent sexually transmitted infections. Beyond evidence based sex education programs, innovative strategies are needed to engage youth in the most high risk communities to help battle this epidemic. Teen Scene Investigators (TSI) is a youth participatory action research project training middle and high school students in high risk communities to investigate topics related to sexual health and plan action orientated steps for community change. Participating youth created a research based advocacy campaign to increase communication around sexual health topics in schools, families and community. Youth were trained in survey development, community mapping, photovoice and social marketing resulting in a community informed advocacy campaign targeted to peers, parents and schools. Results will include findings from the youth led community survey, community mapping strategies, photovoice advocacy tools and interview with key informants on campaign messaging.