Background

Missouri Personal Responsibility Education Program (PREP) provides sexual health education programs to youth with goals of reducing unintended teen pregnancies. Theories of change provide that youth improve their sexual health knowledge, intentions, attitudes, and behaviors as a result of program implementation. Program evaluations are needed to assess the degree to which PREP programs are meeting their goals of improving youth outcomes.

Objective

The purpose of this study is to examine youth sexual intentions to use a condom, engage in sexual behavior, and abstain from sex as a result of Missouri PREP program implementation. We evaluate the effectiveness of the Missouri program in modifying youth intentions toward healthier planned behaviors.

Method

All programs required youth to take pre- and post-program surveys. For this study, we evaluate a sample of 1335 youth’s pre- and post-survey intentions related to condom use, sex, and abstention. We utilize t-tests as well as a lagged logistic regression approach to account for youth’s respective pre-intentions.

Results

Youth’s scores on intentions, knowledge, and attitudes rise from pre- to post-survey. Knowledge gains are salient while attitudes remain relatively high and stable. Intentions to use condoms differ from those in intentions to have or abstain from sex. Program change in intentions to use a condom are highest among the three intention outcomes.

Conclusions

Missouri PREP saw improvements in knowledge, attitudes, and intentions as a result of program implementation. Findings suggest that the Missouri PREP program is effective at positively influencing youth intentions to engage in risky or sexual behavior.

中文翻译：

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密苏里州针对高危青少年 PREP：了解项目对青少年性行为意图的影响

背景

密苏里州个人责任教育计划 (PREP) 为青少年提供性健康教育计划，目标是减少青少年意外怀孕。变革理论认为，由于项目实施，青年会提高他们的性健康知识、意图、态度和行为。需要进行计划评估，以评估 PREP 计划在多大程度上实现了改善青年成果的目标。

客观的

本研究的目的是检查由于密苏里州 PREP 计划实施而导致的青少年使用安全套、进行性行为和戒除性行为的性意图。我们评估了密苏里计划在改变青年意图以实现更健康的计划行为方面的有效性。

方法

所有计划都要求青年进行计划前和计划后调查。在这项研究中，我们评估了 1335 名青少年在调查前后与安全套使用、性和弃权相关的意向样本。我们利用 t 检验和滞后逻辑回归方法来解释青年各自的预先意图。

结果

青少年在意图、知识和态度方面的分数从调查前到调查后都会上升。知识收益显着，而态度保持相对较高和稳定。使用避孕套的意图不同于有意进行性行为或放弃性行为的意图。在三个意图结果中，使用避孕套的意图改变是最高的。

结论

密苏里州 PREP 看到了项目实施后知识、态度和意图的改善。调查结果表明，密苏里州 PREP 计划在积极影响青少年从事危险或性行为的意图方面是有效的。