Primary prevention of adolescent pregnancy
- PMID: 12266532
- DOI: 10.1300/J009v04n01_12
Primary prevention of adolescent pregnancy
Abstract
PIP: Teenage pregnancy is associated with many health, emotional and socioeconomic problems including higher rates of anemia, labor complications, mortality, legal and social struggles and hhigher divorce rates. Professional social workers need strategies to help teenagers avoid early, unwanted pregnancy. This paper offers promising experential and research backing for a primary prevention group work strategy for all adolescents. Social and health programs overlook educational, cognitive anc interpersonal factors biasing youths' ability to comprehend and regulate contraception. Primary prevention to assist adolescents in thinking analytically about their sexual behavior must stress problem solving and decision-making as well as facts about human reproduction and birth control. To implement decisions, youths also need interpersonal communication skills. Small groups are ideal for delivering cognitive-behavioral primary prevention. This approach is based on the premise that youths become pregnant not because of a lack of relevant information, but because they lack cognitive and behavioral skills necessary to use information. Group work involving role-playing helps develop communication skills. Results from 2 field studies describe short-term and longitudinal benefits of the prevention strategy. Professionals can reach significant numbers of youth in this way. By treating sexual issues and the risk of pregnancy as normal in adolescence, social workers can introduce information and pertinent skills to all teenagers. No one is singled out as deviant and the group format enables young people to discuss taboo topics, discovering what the norms are and gradually learning how to deal with peers, family members, techers and others. Adolescents in primary prevention groups gained knowledge, cognitive skills and communication acumen. Improved attitudes toward family planning, increased regular contraception and less unsafe sex resulted from this cognitive-behavioral approach. Primary prevention should begin early to be most effective. Other personal and social issures such as a alcohol and drug abuse, delinquency, marital and family conflicts, parenting difficulties and money management may be dealt with effectively using a cognitive-behavioral approach.
Similar articles
-
Mexican agencies reach teenagers.Netw Res Triangle Park N C. 1992 Aug;13(1):14-5. Netw Res Triangle Park N C. 1992. PMID: 12317721
-
School-based model for preventing teenage pregnancy.Soc Work Educ. 1982 Jan;4(2):34-42. doi: 10.1093/cs/4.2.34. Soc Work Educ. 1982. PMID: 12266531
-
Sexually active adolescents: implication for social work intervention and family planning services.J Soc Work Hum Sex. 1984 Fall;3(1):17-26. doi: 10.1300/J291v03n01_02. J Soc Work Hum Sex. 1984. PMID: 12179642
-
Teenage pregnancy.Adv Pediatr. 1981;28:75-98. Adv Pediatr. 1981. PMID: 7041565 Review.
-
Adolescent pregnancy in the United States: a review and recommendations for clinicians and research needs.Am J Prev Med. 1991 Jan-Feb;7(1):47-52. Am J Prev Med. 1991. PMID: 1867899 Review.
Cited by
-
Limits of teacher delivered sex education: interim behavioural outcomes from randomised trial.BMJ. 2002 Jun 15;324(7351):1430. doi: 10.1136/bmj.324.7351.1430. BMJ. 2002. PMID: 12065268 Free PMC article. Clinical Trial.
-
Preventing unintended teenage pregnancies and reducing their adverse effects.Qual Health Care. 1997 Jun;6(2):102-8. doi: 10.1136/qshc.6.2.102. Qual Health Care. 1997. PMID: 10173252 Free PMC article. Review. No abstract available.
-
Teen contraception: a review of perspectives on compliance.Arch Sex Behav. 1987 Aug;16(4):337-68. doi: 10.1007/BF01542143. Arch Sex Behav. 1987. PMID: 3314791 Review.
MeSH terms
LinkOut - more resources
Medical