142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Successful, consistent delivery of STD and HIV-prevention education to adolescents across the urban, suburban and rural landscape in Delaware

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Monday, November 17, 2014

Christopher C. Moore, BA , Department of Family and Community Medicine, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE
Kathy A. Cannatelli, MS , Department of Family & Community Medicine, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE
Omar Khan, MD, MHS, FAAFP , Associate Vice Chair, Department of Family & Community Medicine, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE
Brian Rahmer, MS, CHES , Department of Family & Community Medicine, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE
Isaac Hicks, RD , Department of Family and Community Medicine, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE
Kelsey Bristow, BA, BSN , Department of Family and Community Medicine, Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, DE
Background:

In Delaware, 9% of teenagers will have sex before age 13, and 59% will have sex by their high school graduation.  While sexual health education exists in public schools, these data continue to be above the national average. The Alliance for Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention (AAPP) provides teens with specific knowledge and decision-making skills to make healthy choices in order to prevent STD and HIV infection.

Methods:

Through funding from Delaware’s Department of Public Health, AAPP facilitates CDC-approved sexual health education programming across the state’s geographic regions; from urban schools to rural settings including faith-based organizations. Each group is lead by a trained educator. These programs address specific segments of the adolescent population with age-appropriate information and practical skill-building knowledge.  Pre- and post-tests were conducted to measure changes in knowledge.

Results:

In the 2012-2013 school year, AAPP reached more than 2,000 teens across all three Delaware counties.  These teens represent urban, suburban and rural communities; and a spectrum of ethnic groups and socioeconomic status.  There was an improvement in the teens’ knowledge of sexual health and increased awareness of negative influences on sexual health choices qualitative feedback suggested interest in continuing these groups beyond the scheduled sessions, or adding similar programming in their community.

Conclusion:

AAPP successfully reinforces sexual health messages teens receive in their middle and high school health class.  While we do not yet know if the increases in knowledge translate to sustained behavior change, the data suggest the program may be successfully scaled up in similar settings.

Learning Areas:

Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning

Learning Objectives:
Design a sexual health education program which delivers consistent messages across a wide variety of adolescent audiences -- from urban to rural. Demonstrate fidelity in program delivery while also adapting to a specific group's needs.

Keyword(s): HIV Interventions, STDs/STI

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have managed this program, among others, on a state-wide basis for 5 years and continue to recieve state funds to continue building capacity. I presented last year at the Boston conference, and have traveled across the country speaking about this work, and the research I have conducted, with colleagues on adolescent health.
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.

Back to: 3209.3: Sex, sexuality, and sexual behaviors