Developing a Video Intervention to Prevent Unplanned Pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Older Adolescents
Plant, A.; Montoya, J.A.; Snow, E.G.; Coyle, K.; Rietmeijer, C.
Health Promotion Practice 20(4): 593-599
2019
ISSN/ISBN: 1524-8399 PMID: 29907076 DOI: 10.1177/1524839918778832Document Number: 681219
Older adolescent African American and Latina females have disproportionately high rates of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This article describes the development of a new video intervention for this population, modeled on Safe in the City (SITC), an evidence-based STI prevention video. Plan A was created from 2015 to 2016, using a systematic process similar to SITC. This included forming a project team with reproductive health experts, hiring a video production company and screenwriter, conducting a clinic staff survey (n = 8), and soliciting priority population input using three focus groups (n = 41) followed by a review panel (n = 9). The expert input, clinic staff survey, focus groups, and review panel informed the content and format of Plan A. The 23-minute video includes three interconnected stories with relatable characters and two animated sequences. Topics covered include condoms, long-acting reversible contraception, emergency contraception, STI prevention and testing, and patient-provider communication. SITC provided a model to create a new entertainment-education intervention for a different audience and to address pregnancy prevention as well as STIs. Sustained priority population involvement, input from stakeholders, and a highly iterative process were vital to developing Plan A, which is currently being evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.