Sexual development and interest in sex is a normal part of adolescent development, but the negative outcomes of unprotected intercourse can result in life changing consequences such as an unplanned pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection. Although the prevalence of these consequences have improvement over the past decade, the United States still has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates and highest prevalence of youth sexually transmitted infection among developed countries. In this report, the determinants that lead adolescents to engage in sex and fail to use contraceptives are reviewed. With knowledge on what factors contribute to adolescent sexual risk taking behaviors, counseling strategies can be implemented to prevent and intervene, and the school counselor is in a prime setting for delivery. The prevention strategies that are covered in this review are grouped into five categories. They are education, skill building, enhancing student development, involving parents and families, and implementing programs. / text

8 pp. / "Turning Points" is a video production written and acted by teen youth in Flagstaff, many of whom were involved with an educational promotions program on healthy dating. The program portrays teen dating relationship scenarios to prompt thinking and discussion among teens about dating. An accompanying discussion guide to be used in conjunction with the DVD is written for in-class and informal teen groups.

Northern Arizona women of childbearing age are at disproportionately higher risk for poverty and persistent health disparities in maternal risk factors and maternal child health outcomes. Preconception care is a lifespan and population-based approach to providing health promotion activities to women of childbearing age to improve the health of women, their families, and communities. The county's Reproductive Health Program offers comprehensive reproductive and preconception healthcare to underserved women and men throughout the county without regard for ability to pay, serving as a critical safety net for this vulnerable population. A formative evaluation was performed using the CDC's Framework for Program Evaluation in Public Health and retrospective chart review to assess program implementation. In 2010, 1,561 patients received care over 2,575 visits; the majority of patients (69.4%) were women of childbearing age (females 15-44). Most patients (92.9%) were ≤ 150% FPL, and uninsured (77.8%). Program patients were racially/ethnically diverse, with nearly half identifying themselves as White (48.8%), followed by Hispanic (35.3%), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (11.6%). Program reach was limited. Comprehensive medical and social risk assessment and health promotion activities were consistent with evidence-based recommendations. More than 3,400 STI and pap screenings were performed, with identification of 178 abnormal results at the primary program site. One hundred forty-five females had a positive pregnancy test at the primary program site, one-third (33.1%) to teens. For women of childbearing age not trying to become pregnant (98%), a range of family planning methods were provided, which most commonly included oral contraception (36.9%), followed by condoms (15.4%), and Depo-Provera injection (12.6%). More than 10% of low-income females 15-44 received referrals for further medical care not provided with program. Logistic regression analysis revealed program visits associated with a decreased risk of unplanned pregnancy, though this was not significant (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.59-1.29, p>0.05). In conclusion, this program provided evidence-based preconception care to underserved women of childbearing age, though reach was limited. Additional studies are recommended to explore patient needs and barriers to improve reach and tailor services. Development of a community advisory council is recommended to guide program activities.

The United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates among developed countries and ranks third overall in rates of teen pregnancy out of thirty countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperative Development, OECD (UNICEF, 2007). However, as a country we are spending an enormous amount of money on teen pregnancy prevention programs. For example, the Office of Adolescent Health has implemented grant funding opportunities for teen pregnancy prevention programs and provides approximately $105 million to states to design these programs. These programs include personal responsibility education and abstinence only education (http://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/oah-initiatives/tpp). If we are spending this much on these programs, why do we still have one of the highest teen pregnancy rates among developed countries? Based on what we have learned from current prevention efforts, the goal of this dissertation is two-fold, to introduce alternative theoretical approaches for prevention design and test determinants and protective factors of sexual risk-taking in adolescence. To obtain these goals, this dissertation was written using the three paper option that contains a theoretical paper and two empirical papers that test hypotheses of determinants of sexual risk-taking in adolescence and possible factors that protect youth from engaging in sexual risk-taking, such as school-wide communication and sexual education. The theoretical paper introduces alternative theoretical approaches to not only target individual behavior that may be risky, but also target the contextual constraints in which teens are operating. The empirical papers analyze possible determinants and protective factors for sexual risk-taking in youth.

To determine major areas of stress for adolescents, ninety-six sixteen and seventeen year olds were given a questionnaire which listed thirty-two situations which the subjects ranked in degrees of stress. The hypotheses examined the degree of family related and social related stress, the relationship of stress to age and sex, and the correlation between grade average and degree of stress. The first three hypotheses were tested by the t-test for mean differences. The fourth hypothesis used a Spearman rank order correlation coefficient. There was a difference in social stress and family stress, but no significant difference in stress of males and females or sixteen and seventeen year olds, and no significant correlation between grades and stress.

Road Going Home follows the life of four women of the same family: grandmother, granddaughter, her mother, and her aunt. Mother Karen leaves home at sixteen because she's pregnant, afraid of disappointing parents Ruth and Nelson. Her sister Lacy is just a child when she leaves. Karen has always wanted to leave home because her small town feels suffocating. At the opening of the novel, Karen has moved into a commune in central Virginia. Her father kidnaps granddaughter Dylan in hopes of bringing his family back together. However, the result is the family growing more apart from one another. Thematically, the novel seeks to answer what happens to families when they run away from one another. How do we come back together again? And how do we rebuild those close ties that we once lost?

In the U.S., the Latino youth population is large and growing rapidly and many Latino youth are sexually active. These relatively high rates of sexual activity are concerning because Latino boys and girls, compared to other youth, have the lowest rate of contraceptive use and high rates of sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) and teen pregnancy. Thus, the need for greater attention to factors that influence Latino adolescent sexual health such as sexual risk behavior and attitudes is imperative. An understudied area with respect to Latino youth sexual behavior is the role that an adolescent’s perception of his/her body has on sexual risk attitudes and behaviors and the possible moderating role of cultural factors. To address this gap in the literature, this study obtained data from one hundred and fifty Latino adolescents who completed a survey that assessed sexual risk attitudes and intentions, body image, ethnic identity, and acculturation. Results indicated that both weight concerns and shape concerns were marginally positively associated with more positive attitudes towards condoms among females and with less positive attitudes towards condoms among males. Gender did not moderate relations when examining attitudes towards pregnancy and intentions as outcome variables. At lower levels of Anglo acculturation, negative body image was associated with less sexual risk attitudes among females whereas positive body image was associated with higher risk attitudes towards pregnancy among males. At low levels of Mexican Orientation, more positive attitudes towards condoms were associated with negative body image among males. Results indicated that none of the interactions of participant’s ethnic identity score with the three body image variables were significant in predicting sexual risk attitudes or intentions for either females or males. The findings shed light on the role of body image and cultural factors on sexual risk attitudes and intentions among Latino adolescents.

Study Objectives: To examine demographic characteristics and contraceptive habits of young men.Methods: A descriptive study was conducted utilizing data analyzed from three waves of the National Survey of the Adolescent Male (NSAM) administered in 1988, 1991, and 1995. The first wave consisted of 1,880, never-married, noninstitutionalized 15-19 year old men living in the United States. The second wave consisted of 1,676 re-interviewed respondents who were 17-22 years old. The third wave consisted of 1,377 re-interviewed respondents who were 22-27 years old. Descriptive statistics were used to compare personal and demographic characteristics across each year group. Odds ratios, and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals were used to determine demographic risk factors; p-values, and chi-square tests were included in the demographic analysis.Results:The majority of the young men in waves 2 and 3 believed the male equally responsible if their partner became pregnant (92% vs. 96%). These young men also believed the male should ask their female partner about contraception before being intimate (71%, waves 2 and 3). Only 3% (wave 2), to 4% (wave 3), believed they would feel more like a man if his partner became pregnant. Almost 50% of males, ages 17-22 (wave 1), and 21-27 (wave 2), believed there was "a little chance" to a "50-50 chance" that they would feel embarrassed to put on a condom. The majority of young men in wave 2 (61%), and approximately half (48%) of young men in wave 3 felt there was "a little chance" to a "50-50 chance" that condom use reduced their sexual pleasure. Only 12% of waves 2 and 3 respondents, felt there was "no chance" a female would become pregnant, if a condom was used during intercourse. Indicating a lack of knowledge regarding the overall benefits of condom use. In addition, less than 50% of waves 2 and 3 felt they had a "pretty good chance" to avoid a STD/AIDS if a condom was used. Conclusions: Results indicated that although the cohort was more cognizant of reproductive responsibility as they matured, steps are still needed to address behavioral changes.

Introduction: Teen pregnancy and teen parenting are prevalent and significant public health issues. Teen parenting also has many social and economic consequences for mother and family. Single parenthood is associated with increased financial, work and child care strains compared to a more traditional family type. Therefore, the impact of teen pregnancy on marital status needs to be investigated. This study examines the association between teen parenthood and future marital status. Methods: The 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle 6 was analyzed. This study included 12398 women age 20 – 44 years who had children. Teen parenthood was defined as age at first birth before the age of twenty. Marital status was dichotomized as married and other marital status. Exposure and outcome variables were examined using logistic regression modeling. Results: Women who had a child before age twenty were less likely be married compared to women who had a child at age 20 or older (OR = 2.30 [95% CI = 2.01, 2.64]). After adjusting for race, education, age at first sex and intendedness of the pregnancy, women who had a child before age 20 were less likely to be married or stay married compared to women who had a child at age 20 or older (OR = 1.35 [95% 1.19, 1.62]). Conclusions: Teen parents are less likely to be married or stay married later in life. Teens should be informed that teen parenthood is a significant risk factor for single parenthood later in life. Future studies should examine all levels of marital status as an outcome of teen parenthood. Future studies should also examine this association among fathers.

This study explores the needs of teen and young adult cancer patients undergoing long-term chemotherapy treatments and the design of an outpatient clinic that accommodates this population’s unique needs. Most teens endure long-term treatments in a pediatric facility targeted primarily for children, while others are treated in adult facilities. Teens have different privacy and social needs than children, and while they are not adults, they are involved in their own treatment decisions, unlike children. The target age group for this study is teens and young adults, ages thirteen to twenty-two. A common theme emerged from research and interviews conducted in the project: these young patients feel an overwhelming sense of isolation. This informed the design of the clinic, which includes spaces where teens and young adults have private spaces for treatment, but larger group spaces that promote connections among each other. Pathways between the various spaces are important. Incorporating nature, environmentally conscious and healthy materials, accessibility, and comfort were essential considerations for the design. The design hypothesis for this project is that a place that targets the unique needs of teens and young adults could make a difference in their experience and ultimately in their healing.