Randomized Evaluation of a Multi-Component, Rights-Based Sexuality Education Initiative for High School Students

Summary

This study examines the effectiveness of the Sexuality Education Initiative (SEI), a comprehensive, multi-component, rights-based sexuality education program developed and implemented by Planned Parenthood Los Angeles for high school students. The primary goal of the SEI is to improve the sexual and reproductive health of youth attending Los Angeles high schools. The SEI consists of four intervention components: (1) a 12-session gender-sensitive, rights-based, comprehensive sexuality education curriculum, (2) a peer education and advocacy component, (3) a parent education component, and (4) clinical services linkages. It is hypothesized that the 12-session classroom curriculum is more effective than a 3-session control sex education curriculum. It is also hypothesized that the full SEI package (all four components) is more effective than the control condition (control curriculum and clinical services only).

Conditions

• Pregnancy
• Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

SEI Classroom Curriculum

Participants receive the 12-session Sexuality Education Initiative (SEI) classroom curriculum. The SEI classroom curriculum covers anatomy, abstinence, contraception and protection, STIs and HIV/AIDS, media messages, gender, relationships, rights and responsibilities, pregnancy, sexuality, peer pressure, negotiation and coercion, and decision making. These sessions are delivered over a two-month period. Each curriculum session is about 45 minutes in length.

BEHAVIORAL

Control Classroom Curriculum

Participants receive the 3-session basic control curriculum. The control curriculum includes 3 sessions on sexually transmitted infections, anatomy and birth control delivered over a two- or three-week period. Each curriculum session is about 45 minutes in length.

BEHAVIORAL

SEI Curriculum + 3 School Components

Participants receive SEI classroom curriculum and all three school wide components. The peer education/advocacy component recruits, trains and supervises students through an after-school leadership program to serve as resources to peers, organize health events, and refer students to school-based clinic services. The parent education component provides sessions for parents of students, covering reproductive health, teen pregnancy, and parent-teen communication, together with a parent education booklet for widespread use. The clinical services linkages includes health services on campus, including pregnancy/STI testing, contraceptive consultation and prescriptions, condom distribution, counseling, and referrals. It includes training for teachers and staff to distribute condoms as needed.

BEHAVIORAL

Control Curriculum + 1 School Component

Participants receive control classroom curriculum and one of the three school wide components, the clinical services linkages. This component includes health services on campus for students, including pregnancy and STI testing, contraceptive consultation and prescriptions, condom distribution, counseling, and referrals. It also includes training for teachers and school staff to distribute condoms to students as needed.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Southern California

  collaborator OTHER

• Planned Parenthood Los Angeles

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Ford Foundation

  collaborator OTHER

• Public Health Institute, California

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Norman A. Constantine, PhD · Public Health Institute

• Louise A. Rohrbach, PhD, MPH · University of Southern California

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

13 Years

Max Age

16 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-09-30

Primary Completion

2014-05-31

Completion

2014-05-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations