A quasi-experimental evaluation of parents as sexual health educators resulting in delayed sexual initiation and increased access to condoms

Campero, L.; Walker, D.; Atienzo, E.E.; Gutierrez, J.Pablo.

Journal of adolescence 34(2): 215-223

2011


ISSN/ISBN: 1095-9254
PMID: 20646754
DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2010.05.010
Document Number: 211684
To evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention for parents of first year high school students in the State of Morelos, Mexico, whose aim was to impact adolescents' sexual behavior, knowledge and access to contraception. Quasi-experimental prospective study with eleven control and eleven intervention schools using self-administered questionnaires for parents and adolescents pre- and post-intervention. Parent-child dyads in the control and intervention schools were matched according to parents' propensity score; the average treatment effect (ATE) was estimated for adolescent's outcome variables. At follow-up, we found significant differences for adolescents in the intervention schools: 6.8% delayed initiation of sexual intercourse, 14.4% had correct knowledge about emergency contraception (EC), and 164% reported having received condoms from their parents, when comparing with students in control schools. Our results suggest that parent-focused interventions could be an innovative and effective strategy to promote adolescents sexual health.

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