Sexual Behavior, Unprotected Sex
Conditions
Brief summary
The goal of this randomized control trial is to clinical trial is to evaluate Many Ways of Being, an innovative sexual health promotion program focused on addressing rigid gender norms and promoting healthy relationships. The overall goal of the MWB program is to reduce incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unplanned pregnancy and promote healthy, consensual, and violence-free relationships among youth. The primary research question we aim to answer through this study is: Among youth ages 15-19, does the Many Ways of Being program reduce unprotected sex (through consistent and correct use of condoms and contraceptives) compared to the a career readiness program, which does not include sexual health components? As part of the study, participants will be asked to: * Attend approximately 14 hours and 40 minutes of programming completed over 4-8 weeks * Complete baseline, post-intervention, and 9-month follow-up surveys * For select participants who received the MWB program, participate in an optional focus group discussion The local evaluation will focus on the impact of the entire MWB intervention, as compared to a similar-length control program focused on career readiness.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALMany Ways of Being, an innovative sexual health promotion program focused on addressing rigid gender norms and promoting healthy relationships
The Many Ways of Being program is a gender-synchronous program informed by Equimundo's existing single-gender Manhood 2.0 and Sisterhood 2.0 programs. The curriculum is designed to shift unequal gender attitudes and behaviors and provide skill-building on maintaining healthy relationships, making healthy and informed decisions around sex, and avoiding risky sexual behaviors.
BEHAVIORALA career readiness program
Youth enrolled in the control condition will receive a career readiness curriculum, either International Youth Foundation's Passport to Success, LAYC's Next Generation program or LAYC's Career Readiness Curriculum, depending on the site and implementation period. These programs equip young people with a range of professional, employment readiness, and practical skills that will help them stay in school and acquire the education, professional skills, employment
Sponsors
Latin American Youth Center
Equimundo:Center for Masculinities and Social Justice
Family and Youth Services Bureau
Child Trends
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
This research project will used an individual randomized controlled trial design in which youth at each intervention site will be randomized 1:1 into the experimental condition (Many Ways of Being) or the comparison condition (a career readiness program).
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
15 Years to 19 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Youth age 15-19 in the greater Metropolitan DC area
Exclusion criteria
* Youth who are actively planning a pregnancy, have participated in the other sexual health programming through the LAYC previously, or are receiving other sexual health education during the implementation period. Youth who do not speak English and/or Spanish will also not be eligible to participate.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Condomless sex (measure 1) | 9 months following program completion | Vaginal or anal sex without a condom in the past 3 months (yes/no). Yes if had vaginal or anal sex in the past 3 months and did not use a condom all the time. No if did not have sex or used a condom all the time. |
| Unprotected vaginal sex (measure 2) | 9 months following program completion | Vaginal sex without any contraception (including condom) in the past 3 months (yes/no) Yes if had sex in the past 3 months and did not use a contraceptive all the time. No if did not have sex or used a contraceptive all the time. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Knowledge related to sexual and reproductive health (measure 1) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Knowledge of contraceptive methods (% correct out of 4 items) |
| Knowledge related to sexual and reproductive health (measure 2) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Knowledge of STIs (% correct out of 5 items) |
| Knowledge related to sexual and reproductive health (measure 3) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Able to identify sexual consent (% correct out of 4 items) |
| Intentions to practice sexual health promoting behaviors (measure 1) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Intends to use contraception (Yes, definitely) if chooses to have sex in the future |
| Intentions to practice sexual health promoting behaviors (measure 2) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Intends to use condoms (Yes, definitely) if chooses to have sex in the future |
| Intentions to practice sexual health promoting behaviors (measure 3) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Intends to visit a health care provider for SRH services in the next 12 months (yes/no Yes, definitely vs other responses) |
| Sexual agency | 9 months following program completion | The respondent reported that they communicated what they liked, disliked, or wanted to try all or most of the time and that they asked what their partner liked, disliked, or wanted to try all or most of the time when participating in any sexual activity (including sexual touching) in the past 3 months OR respondent was not sexually active in the past 3 months. (yes/no) |
| Self-efficacy to practice sexual health promoting behaviors (measure 2) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Know where to go to get STI testing/ treatment (yes/no Yes, definitely versus other responses) |
| Self-efficacy to practice sexual health promoting behaviors (measure 3) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Level of comfort going to a provider for services or approaching a trusted adult for information about SRH (4-item Likert scale). |
| Self-efficacy to practice sexual health promoting behaviors (measure 4) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Self-reported ability to communicate with partners about consent, sex, and contraception (5-item Likert scale). Three items draw from Upadhyay UD et al. Development and Validation of the Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Scale for Adolescents and Young Adults. J Adolesc Health. 2021 Jan;68(1):86-94. |
| Positive attitudes around gender | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Gender-equitable attitudes scale (7-item Likert scale) |
| Positive attitudes around sexual health (measure 1) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Self-love subscale from Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Scale (4-item Likert scale). Citation: Upadhyay UD et al. Development and Validation of the Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Scale for Adolescents and Young Adults. J Adolesc Health. 2021 Jan;68(1):86-94. |
| Positive attitudes around sexual health (measure 2) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Sexual pleasure subscale from Sexual Reproductive Empowerment Scale (3-item Likert scale). Citation: Upadhyay UD et al. Development and Validation of the Sexual and Reproductive Empowerment Scale for Adolescents and Young Adults. J Adolesc Health. 2021 Jan;68(1):86-94. |
| Self-efficacy to practice sexual health promoting behaviors (measure 1) | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Know where to go to get birth control (yes/no Yes, definitely vs other responses) |
| Knowledge related to healthy relationships | Immediately post-program and 9 months following program completion | Able to identify healthy and unhealthy relationship scenarios (% correct out of 7 items) |
Countries
United States
Contacts
Primary ContactJennifer Manlove, PhD
Outcome results
None listed