Innovative peer led preconception workshops for at-risk youth in Boston

Infant mortality rates among African American babies are at least twice as high as those of the non-Hispanic white population; disparities are even greater for teens, being unmarried, having an unplanned pregnancy, and living in poverty. The life course theory with a focus on preconception health has been identified as a key strategy to improve perinatal outcomes and decrease these gaps. In 2013, the Preconception Peer Educator (PPE) OMH-certified Northeastern University's Health Disparities Student Collaborative (HDSC) students developed, implemented, and evaluated interactive workshops to educate and empower homeless/at-risk youth about health disparities, promote preconception health, and address modifiable risk factors at the Bridge Over Troubled Waters resource center in Boston. OMH-certified student leaders were trained to conduct them. This pilot program reached a self-selected population of at-risk 16-24 year-olds. Through pre-and-post workshop surveys the following questions were assessed: • Was there a change in the knowledge/attitudes/anticipated behaviors of the workshop participants? • Did participants plan to apply the information presented in their lives? • What barriers did participants identify that may prevent them from applying this knowledge and changing behaviors? • What ways can the messages be made more effective to the high risk youth? • Why did youth attend the workshop? The survey results and lessons learned will be presented, focusing on how to create more effective workshops, sustain outreach, and reach a larger community of at-risk youth. Public health implications for expanding partnerships between student groups and community organizations to promote preconception health awareness will be discussed.