Background: The Linking Families and Teens Program (LiFT) equips youth with tools to engage in informed conversations about sexual risks and pregnancy prevention with parents/caregivers.

Objective: This study evaluates LiFT's effectiveness in enhancing youth’s understanding of healthy relationships, confidence in resisting sexual pressure, and ability to communicate with parents about sexual health.

Methods: A total of 81 youths and 65 parents/caregivers participated in the program. LiFT was implemented in the northwest region of Puerto Rico. A pre-post survey was conducted to measure understanding of healthy relationships, confidence in talking with parents/caregivers about sexual risks, and intention to use condoms. Bivariate analyses were employed to examine differences between the entry and exit surveys.

Results: Mean age of 16 ± 1.8 years. Statistically significant improvements were observed one month after participation in the LiFT for perceived competency to talk with parents about sex (61.3% vs. 96.7%, p<0.001), to talk with parents even if it is uncomfortable (M= 4.00±1.017 vs. 4.67±0.661, p<.001), to use a condom if having sex in the future (M= 4.50±0.882 vs. 4.89±0.315, p<0.05), to know what a healthy relationship is (M=2.60±0.675 vs. 2.90±0.403, p<0.05), know at least two places to go for sexual health information/services (M=3.07±1.617 vs. 4.33±0.922, p<0.001), and what to expect during sexual health care provider visit (M=3.37± .326 vs. 4.37±0.890, p<0.05). A comparison with parents' outcomes will be presented.

Conclusion: LiFT enhances youth communication, confidence in discussing sensitive topics, and awareness of safe sexual practices. Structured interventions improve the frequency of communication between youths and parents.

Background:

Due to the nationwide prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and persistence of disparities in testing, PPPSW identified a need for a plan to increase screening. A multi-faceted, collaborative initiative was developed to boost annual testing rates to 80% for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and HIV, 65% for trichomoniasis, and 50% for syphilis.

Methods:

Staff were trained to destigmatize STI screening by normalizing annual testing for all patients. STI risk criteria were shifted from individual factors to community prevalence. Opt-out language was adopted. Education campaigns targeted patient populations through marketing and community outreach. Telehealth STI testing by mail was launched to reach patients who are unable to be seen in person. Pricing bundles were created, fee waivers were utilized for high-risk patients with medical necessity, and MediCal enrollment assistance was offered to overcome financial barriers to testing. Reminders were sent to patients with identified STI screening care gaps.

Monthly data monitored progress by clinic, provider, and patient demographics to identify disparities and barriers. Monthly process improvement plans were developed for each clinic to move toward goals. Regular updates fostered staff engagement through comparisons to metrics, sharing best practices, and recognizing clinics meeting goals.

Conclusion:

Within one year, the initiative resulted in notable improvements in STI screening rates: HIV increased from 45% to 66%, chlamydia and gonorrhea went from 55% to 71%, trichomoniasis increased from 45% to 65%, and syphilis increased from 20% to 48%. Continued efforts in addressing barriers such as reminder systems and pre-ordering tests could further enhance screening participation.

The absence of a nationally standardized sexual health education curriculum in school systems results in inadequate adolescent education on contraception, sexually transmitted infections, and other critical topics. Existing curricula often exclude teenage pregnancy, LGBTQ+ populations, and the needs of socioeconomically disadvantaged populations. As a result, healthcare professionals must fill this gap in knowledge, improving patient-provider communication and reducing sexual risk behaviors. Despite this need, medical school curricula focus primarily on pharmacologic birth control methods, while lacking formal training on counseling techniques, cultural competency, and non-hormonal options. Consequently, many healthcare trainees report hesitancy in discussing sexual health with patients.

To address this gap, we implemented a sexual health educator training program, developed by the Florida Healthy Youth Alliance, to prepare medical students as sexual health educators. This study evaluates how the training impacted medical students’ confidence in discussing these topics with diverse patients. The training emphasized open discussions, reducing stigma, and culturally competent communication.

Pre- and post-training surveys of 95 medical assessed their comfort levels. Results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in conducting sexual health conversations, providing guidance on safe practices and contraception, approaching conversations with cultural awareness, and understanding Florida legislation. Given the success of the training, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) will integrate the sexual health educator training into their curriculum. These findings underscore the importance of integrating standardized sexual health education into medical training to ensure that future physicians are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to effectively communicate sexual and reproductive health with patients.

Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is essential for viral suppression and improved quality of life among people living with HIV (PLHIV). This study assessed factors influencing ART adherence in the Eastern region of Ghana, focusing on sociodemographic, knowledge-based, treatment-related, patient-related, and health facility-related variables.

A cross-sectional design was employed, involving 321 PLHIV receiving ART. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, and adherence was measured using the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8). Statistical analyses included chi-squared tests and logistic regression.

Results showed that 51.63% of respondents demonstrated high adherence, 36.28% had medium adherence, and 12.09% exhibited low adherence. Key predictors of adherence included being female (aOR = 4.49, p = 0.025), married (aOR = 5.89, p = 0.023), tertiary-educated (aOR = 14.12, p = 0.026), and employed (p < 0.001). Knowledge of ART significantly impacted adherence, with poor knowledge reducing adherence odds (aOR = 0.20, p < 0.001).

Treatment-related and health facility factors also played roles. Simplified single-pill regimens (aOR = 0.13, p = 0.011), short wait times (aOR = 0.13, p = 0.014), and privacy during visits (aOR = 0.27, p = 0.015) were positively associated with adherence. Non-disclosure of HIV status (aOR = 0.27, p = 0.001) and stigma were significant barriers.

These findings highlight the complex nature of ART adherence and emphasize the need for targeted interventions that address knowledge gaps, stigma, and healthcare accessibility. Improving these areas can enhance adherence and optimize outcomes for PLHIV in Ghana

Adolescent sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education plays a crucial role in reducing early pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and unsafe abortions. However, the effective implementation of SRH education in Ghanaian schools faces multiple challenges. This study investigates the barriers to SRH education among 600 adolescents and 100 teachers from various senior high schools in Ghana. Structured surveys and in-depth interviews assessed students' knowledge levels, teachers’ preparedness, cultural resistance, and parental influence on SRH education.

Findings reveal that 70% of students had limited SRH knowledge, with cultural taboos (52%) and parental disapproval (41%) as primary barriers to open discussions. Additionally, 60% of teachers lacked formal SRH training, reducing their confidence in delivering accurate information. Regression analysis indicated that students in urban schools were 2.5 times more likely to receive comprehensive SRH education compared to those in rural areas (95% CI: 1.8–3.6, p < 0.001). Addressing these challenges requires enhanced teacher training, curriculum standardization, and parental engagement to promote SRH education and improve adolescent health outcomes in Ghana.

Background
WISH2ACTION was a 5-year program implemented in Tanzania by a consortium led by UMATI (IPPF), with Marie Stopes Tanzania, Options, and Development Media International (DMI). The program aimed to expand equitable access to family planning, especially for underserved groups such as youth, people with disabilities, and the very poor. DMI’s role was to design mass media content to generate demand for Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH).

Methods
Using saturation+ approach, DMI implemented a mass media campaign in collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Between 2019 and 2023, 54 radio spots were broadcast 219,995 times for 34 months across 21 radios in 10 regions. Additionally, 26 TV spots were aired on 7 television stations. The campaign themes included birth spacing, delaying first pregnancy, youth access to SRH, the role of men, and myths and misconceptions. To assess the campaign's effect, 65 focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 1,287 participants, including youth aged 15–24, fathers, and mothers.

Results
Findings revealed three key themes of change: attitudes, knowledge, and behavior. As one participant mentioned, “These spots have helped me. I discussed them with my partner, and we went to the health center to get contraceptives.” Despite these positive shifts, participants highlighted two persistent barriers to behavior change: social norms and beliefs surrounding SRH and concerns about contraceptive side effects.

Conclusion
Findings highlight that mass media can effectively shift SRH-related attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors in Tanzania, but ongoing campaigns are needed to address deep-rooted social norms barriers.

Background: Unfortunately, forced sexual encounters affect youth under the age of 18 in the US. With the prevalence of forced sex, providers for adolescents may see affected individuals, but many adolescents may remain silent of the instances. While these issues have been explored historically using nationally representative samples, less research is available post pandemic. Specific localities have even less data describing determinants, especially the determinants with teens reporting multiple sexual partners and being forced to have sex, even among those reporting no current sexual activity. The purpose of this research was to gain a deeper understanding of the determinants among teens reporting both multiple partners and forced sexual activity in Houston, Texas. Methods. Data were derived from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The YRBS is conducted every odd year by the CDC and is a cross-sectional survey administered among representative samples of high school students in the US. For this study, we focused on teens from Houston, Texas (n=1038) who reported forced sex. Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between having sexual intercourse with 4 or more people and substance use. Results: Teens reporting 4 or more sexual partners during their life were significantly (p<.05) more likely to report current use of alcohol, prescription drugs without a prescription, and marijuana. Conclusions: Addressing issues related to forceable sexual encounters and ATOD use need to happen before high school in the effort to mitigate early initiation of ATOD use and coping skills to reduce incidence of sexual violence.

In Texas, the incidence of congenital syphilis (CS) surged by 148% from 2018 to 2022 prompting a need to readily identify and treat CS to avoid poor outcomes. As a result, a collaborative effort between a Texas health department and a local federally qualified health center (FQHC), sought to better understand challenges to diagnosing and treating CS in one of the top 5 most populous counties in Texas.

Collaborative partners observed over 29 lab orders available for syphilis testing through the FQHC’s 3^rd party lab services. Of these 29, only 3 were identified as priority options in the setting of outpatient syphilis diagnosis and treatment. There was also some uncertainty observed between the TP-AB/Treponema pallidum antibody and TPPA/Treponema pallidum Antibody, Particular Agglutination (gold standard). For example, oftentimes an RPR with reflex to the Treponema pallidum antibody (a non-priority lab option), was being selected for initial testing. This resulted in challenges as this option does not reflex to gold standard testing.

As a result, collaborators are encouraging healthcare centers to 1) identify and label priority syphilis labs to avoid underdiagnosing CS, 2) educate providers on appropriate syphilis testing and diagnosis, and 3) create enhanced relationships between healthcare centers and local health departments to aid in appropriate testing and treatment. A combination of these efforts may help to appropriately diagnose and treat congenital syphilis resulting in better maternal and child outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are disproportionally affected by sexually transmitted infections (STIs). To alleviate high rates of STIs among GBMSM, the CDC has recommended the use of doxycycline as a post-exposure prophylaxis (also known as doxyPEP). As individuals seek health information from social media and other internet sources, these platforms may be instrumental in doxyPEP uptake; however, there has been little exploration of doxyPEP communication among GBMSM on social media platforms. This study aims to assess how Reddit users are discussing doxyPEP.

METHODS: Data were pulled from four subreddits that preliminary serve gay and bisexual men from 2021 to 2025 (n = 208). A content analysis using inductive and deductive coding was used to identify key themes.

RESULTS: Preliminary analyses indicate that a little over half of posts have doxyPEP as the central focus while others reference doxyPEP as way to provide context about sexual behaviors. Additionally, almost half of posts indicate personal use. About 44% of posts ask a question about doxyPEP. Timing, obtaining a prescription, general use among others, and efficacy appear to be the most common questions. Few posts provided information such as administration, dosage, and timing about doxyPEP (20%).

DISCUSSION: Our preliminary analyses indicate that individuals are seeking information about doxyPEP as well as sharing experiences that led to doxyPEP use through Reddit. Our analyses highlight that there may be room for more targeted communication regarding doxyPEP efficacy, timing, and how to obtain a prescription.

Background: Despite California’s progressive sex education mandates under the California Healthy Youth Act (CHYA), disparities persist in the implementation of comprehensive sex education (CSE) across school districts. While the CHYA mandates medically accurate, inclusive, and culturally relevant instruction for students in 7th-12th grade, recent data reveal that many schools do not fully meet these requirements. This qualitative study examines barriers to and facilitators of comprehensive sex education implementation through in-depth interviews with school representatives, including superintendents, curriculum coordinators, and health educators.

Methods: A qualitative study design using a grounded theory approach was employed to examine the experiences of school representatives—including superintendents, curriculum coordinators, and health educators—regarding CSE implementation. Participants were recruited through purposive and snowball sampling, and interviews were conducted via Zoom. Data were analyzed using thematic coding through Dedoose software, following an iterative process of open, axial, and selective coding.

Results: Key barriers identified include insufficient funding, limited teacher training, culturally conservative community norms, and administrative burdens related to time, staffing, and scheduling. Facilitators of successful implementation included strong district leadership, use of external organizations to support instruction, and proactive community engagement. Several participants emphasized the need for consistent state-level support and clearer guidance to ensure compliance.

Conclusion: This study provides insights into the complex dynamics shaping CSE adoption and highlights opportunities for policy and practice improvements to enhance adolescent health outcomes. Findings offer valuable implications for policymakers, educators, and advocates aiming to bridge the gap between legislative intent and practical implementation of CSE.