Introduction

US foster youth have elevated pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates, yet receive limited sexual health education and intervention. Thus, we sought to co-develop a comprehensive model of sexual health needs among youth in foster care group homes through a community-engaged research process with foster youth and foster care staff to inform such intervention.

Methods

Our team conducted five in-depth focus groups with both foster youth placed in group homes and foster care staff (social workers and group home staff) in 2018–2019. We analyzed the data through iterative open, focus, axial, and selective/theoretical coding using constructivist grounded theory (GT) methods to produce a model of sexual health needs among youth in foster care group homes.

Results

GT analysis revealed the model’s core category, Addressing Sexual Health among Youth in Foster Care Group Homes, has three supporting categories: reproductive health system, relationship health, and mental health.

Conclusions

The study model offers new pathways for comprehensively addressing sexual health and well-being in this specialized population, grounded in foster youth and staff members’ direct, lived experiences.

Policy Implications

This conceptualization expands current intervention options beyond pregnancy/STI education programs alone to a holistic, multilevel focus on the interrelated need for trauma-informed family planning and contraception care, mental health and substance use care, sexual and emotional safety, and healthy relationships.

中文翻译：

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解决寄养家庭中青年的性健康问题：一项基于社区的扎根理论研究

介绍

美国寄养的年轻人怀孕率高和性传播感染（STI）率高，但接受的性健康教育和干预措施有限。因此，我们寻求通过与养育青年和养育护理人员进行社区参与的研究过程，在养护团体家庭中共同开发青年性健康需求的综合模型。

方法

我们的团队进行了五个深入的焦点小组讨论，在2018-2019年期间，将寄养青年安置在集体之家和寄养人员（社会工作者和团体之家）。我们使用建构主义扎根理论（GT）方法，通过迭代的开放式，焦点式，轴向式和选择性/理论编码对数据进行了分析，以建立寄养家庭中青年人性健康需求的模型。

结果

GT分析显示，该模型的核心类别“在寄养儿童之家中解决青少年的性健康问题”具有三个支持类别：生殖健康系统，人际关系健康和心理健康。

结论

该研究模型为培养青年人和工作人员的直接生活经验奠定了基础，为全面解决这一特殊人群的性健康和福祉提供了新途径。

政策含义

这种概念化将当前的干预方案从单纯的妊娠/性传播疾病教育计划扩展到了全面，多层次的关注点，即创伤相关的计划生育和避孕保健，心理健康和药物使用保健，性和情感安全以及健康关系的相关需求。