Abstract

Objectives

To test the ACE-Plus curriculum, a two-session program that teaches males in foster care and/or preventive services about correct and consistent condom use, and engagement with female partners to obtain and use contraception.

Methods

Nine foster care agencies in New York City randomly assigned 223 males aged 16–20 to the ACE-Plus intervention or a benign program. Youth completed surveys at baseline, 3-month follow-up, and 9-month follow-up. Regression analyses assessed the effects of program participation on condom use, use of hormonal birth control method, use of birth control by female sex partner(s), obtaining birth control with a sex partner(s), and communication about birth control with a sex partner(s).

Results

At 3-month follow-up, treatment youth were significantly more likely than control youth to report communicating with their sexual partner(s) about birth control (p = .0062). While not statistically significant, treatment youth were more likely to report obtaining birth control with a sex partner(s) than control youth at 3-month follow-up. Impact estimates for the remaining behavioral outcomes favored the control group, though not significantly. Implementation data suggest the program was delivered with fidelity.

Conclusion

Based on these mixed results, perhaps more developmental research into this short-duration intervention for this high-needs population is necessary.

中文翻译：

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纽约市寄养机构实现避孕套授权 (ACE)-Plus 的评估

摘要

目标

为了测试 ACE-Plus 课程，这是一个两节课的项目，向寄养和/或预防服务中的男性教授正确和一致的安全套使用，以及与女性伴侣接触以获得和使用避孕措施。

方法

纽约市的九家寄养机构将 223 名 16-20 岁的男性随机分配到 ACE-Plus 干预或良性计划。青少年在基线、3 个月的随访和 9 个月的随访中完成了调查。回归分析评估了项目参与对避孕套使用、激素避孕方法的使用、女性性伴侣使用避孕措施、与性伴侣获得避孕措施以及与性别进行避孕沟通的影响伙伴）。

结果

在 3 个月的随访中，接受治疗的青年比对照组青年更有可能报告与他们的性伴侣就节育进行沟通 ( p = .0062)。虽然没有统计学意义，但在 3 个月的随访中，接受治疗的青少年比对照组的青少年更有可能报告与性伴侣一起获得避孕措施。其余行为结果的影响估计有利于对照组，尽管并不显着。实施数据表明该计划是忠实交付的。

结论

基于这些好坏参半的结果，或许有必要对这种针对这一高需求人群的短期干预进行更多的发展研究。