An Evaluation of Virtual Student Health Center Among Incarcerated Juvenile Offenders

Summary

WestEd and its partners Efficacity and the Oregon Youth Authority (OYA), are conducting a randomized controlled trial of an innovative teen pregnancy prevention program, Healthy U, for youthful male offenders. This study involves male teenagers (age 14-19) at high risk for involvement in risky sexual behavior, including teen pregnancy. The innovative, non-curricular, technology-based intervention, Healthy U, is self-directed, low-cost, user friendly, and offers great promise in reaching incarcerated youth. The purpose of this study is to test this intervention on a population of young men incarcerated at the OYA who will soon be released into the community. The intervention is tailored to this population by updating the design, videos, and examples to best reflect the youth in the study, and OYA staff are being trained to facilitate the self-guided intervention.

Conditions

• Lack of Knowledge About Condoms and Birth Control
• Adolescent Sexual Intercourse
• Sexual Intercourse Without a Condom or Birth Control
• Unplanned Pregnancies

Interventions

OTHER

"Healthy U" tablet application

There are seven modules in Healthy U: Puberty, Birth Control, Teen Pregnancy, HIV, STDs, Healthy Relationships, and Condom Negotiation. Each module has six sections: Introduction and Review, Narrative Teen Portrait, Information Film, Activity/Game, Dramatic Film, and Imagination Challenge. The Introduction and Review has videos lasting 1-2 minutes where the Healthy U "host" introduces each module. In the Narrative Teen Portrait for each module, a different teen discusses their experience with the topic for 1-3 minutes. The Information Film lasts 5-18 minutes per module and provides factual information. For each module, the Activity/Game includes multiple choice, true/false, or other games. The Dramatic Film lasts 5-17 minutes for each module and shows a fictional account of a teen experiencing the topic. Finally, the Imagination Challenge asks the youth to imagine a scenario, such as going to a health clinic to obtain free condoms.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Oregon Youth Authority

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Efficacity

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• The Office of Adolescent Health, HHS

  collaborator FED

• WestEd

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

14 Years

Max Age

19 Years

Sex

MALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-02-01

Primary Completion

2020-05-01

Completion

2020-05-01

Countries

• United States

Study Locations