Efficacy of Teenage Pregnancy Prevention

The research proposal is focused on the efficacy of programs to prevent teenage pregnancy. Teenage pregnancy continues to be an important issue for parents and educators despite the fact that the rates of teenage pregnancy appear to be declining. Teenage pregnancy rates and birth rates in the United States has reached an all-time low (Brady, 2012). This low birth rate among teenagers has been across all teenage age spans, socioeconomic groups and ethnic groups. This may be a result of the increase of comprehensive sexual education programs that are being provided to teenagers. If the research study is able to determine this link between declining rates of teenage pregnancy and the increase of comprehensive sexual education the proposal could guide public health policy on the issue and push a momentum towards a national comprehensive sexual education program.

Programs geared towards preventing teenage pregnancy primarily focus on sexual education or abstinence only education. The sexual education component usually focuses on providing education on sexual reproduction and health. An example of a teenage pregnancy prevention program was found during the literature review phase of the study. “Safer Choices had its greatest effect on measures involving condom use. The program reduced the frequency of intercourse without a condom during the three months prior to the survey...increased use of condoms and other protection against pregnancy at last intercourse” (Coyle, 2001). The study on a specific sexual education program demonstrated the effectiveness of pregnancy prevention program. These programs may also provide contraception at times in the form of condoms that could be utilized by teens.  Some studies have found that sexual education is the most effective method to reduce rates of teenage pregnancy, though these methods can be controversial, and many parents would rather opt for abstinence only methods. Abstinence alone, however, has not proven to be effective methods of preventing teen pregnancy. These program methods involve encouraging teenagers to not engage in sexual activity with others. The programs often have a religious base and will include aspects such as wearing purity rings and pledging themselves to be pure. Although the abstinence only approach has not been determined to be effective, it is still an approach that is widely used by both parents and educators.    

This topic is of high importance in the field of nursing as they have the ability to influence a field of public policy and health concerns. Nurses can also play important roles throughout the course of a teenager’s pregnancy. Nurses are utilized in the school setting to provide sexual education to teenagers in order to prevent pregnancy. Nurses are present in gynecologist offices to help teenage mother’s take care of their bodies so that they can have a healthy baby. Nurses provide medical help during the pregnancy in the hospital to ensure that the delivery of the baby is a smooth process. Nurses can also provide resources and psycho education to the teenager to ensure that she has support during a difficult time in her life. Nurses can continue to be involved in the teenager’s life after the baby is born to assist by providing education to the teenage mother on how to care for her baby. Nurses can continue to provide education to the teenager by providing education and ensuring that contraception is used in the future to avoid another unplanned pregnancy. Nurses can provide support on multiple levels of need and care for a teenage mother, which is why this study is of relative importance to the field as it would determine the route that should be used to administer sexual education to our nation’s teenagers.

The purpose of the research study would be to determine how effective each type of program is on changing teenager’s views on sexual activity. The teenagers would be split into two groups where one group is provided with sexual education and the other is given abstinence only education. Prior to receiving the program education, the teenager would be asked to fill out an anonymous questionnaire regarding their sexual history as well as their views on what is acceptable sexual activity for a teenager. They would then be asked to complete the questionnaire after the program has ended. The teenagers would then be asked to complete the survey six months later to determine if their sexual habits or views have changed and if the program was successful in preventing teenagers from engaging in risky sexual behavior that could lead to pregnancy. The results of the study would most likely corroborate the findings that were discovered during the literature review phase of the research proposal project. “Adolescents who received comprehensive sex education were significantly less likely to report teen pregnancy than those who received no formal sex education, whereas there was no significant effect of abstinence-only education”. (Kohler, 2008, 344). Through the use of the statistical data analysis techniques the findings could be clearly defined and highlighted for the audience of the study.

As the study is a quantitate study data analysis techniques will be utilized that are appropriate for this type of study. The survey questionnaire will have data that would be quantifiable as questions would be asked about number of sexual partners or what age that the teenager feels it would be ok to participate in sexual activity. Some questions would also use the Likert scale to measure opinions on several different issues. The responses from all the sets of questionnaires given to the teenagers over the course of the study would then be used to determine the efficacy of the pregnancy prevention programs. The responses would be included on bars and tables in order to clearly demonstrate the effects of the program on teenage sexual activity.

Software programs such as SPSS can be utilized in the research study to organize the data across the variables of abstinence only or complete sexual education. Through the use of cross-tabulation the data can be concretely organized into summary tables. These tables would provide a concise overview of the effects of the two different programs. The use of this method is beneficial as it provides a clear and brief picture of the results of an otherwise complex study. To further analyze the data the chi-square test for independence would also be utilized. This method is effective in the use of this study as there are two categorical variables (abstinence only or comprehensive sexual education) for the population that is being studied (teenagers). The test would demonstrate if there is a significant association between the type of sexual education program utilized and teenage views on pregnancy. The use of this statistical analysis is beneficial as it would clearly demonstrate not only which program is more effective but also if there is a significant relationship between the program that was provided and the teenager’s subsequent views and actions in their sexual relationships. Through the use of these methods the results can be organized and discussed in a larger context that would further influence the area of study in teenage pregnancy.

As the consumers of the study would be parents and educators, the results of the study would be used to gear decisions regarding the optimal method of providing sexual education to teenagers. The methods outlined above would provide the results to parents and educators in clear tables that would demonstrate which method was more effective. The results of the study would also demonstrate whether the relationship is significant enough to warrant change in a school’s approach to administering sexual education to its youth. The results of the study could also be used to advocate for political policy changes on a larger scale as it may allow the government to mandate one form of sexual education over another. The use of a single method of education would allow the nation the opportunity to bring down rates of teenage pregnancy through the use of an evidence-based program.

References

Brady E. Hamilton and Stephanie J. Ventura, M.A. (April 10, 2012). "Birth rates for the U.S. teenagers reach historic lows for all age and ethnic groups". Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 80, 1-9.

Coyle, K., Basen-Engquist, K., Kirby, D., Parcel, G., Banspach, S., Collins, J., ... & Harrist, R. (2001). Safer choices: reducing teen pregnancy, HIV, and STDs. Public Health Reports, 116(Suppl 1), 82.

Kohler, P. K., Manhart, L. E., & Lafferty, W. E. (2008). Abstinence-only and comprehensive sex education and the initiation of sexual activity and teen pregnancy. Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(4), 344-351.