Abstract
BackgroundEarly sexual initiation is associated with higher risk for sexually transmitted infection, teen pregnancy, domestic violence and substance use in later adolescence and early adulthood. Native American adolescents are more likely to have early sexual initiation compared to other racial/ethnic groups. Few programs designed with and for Native adolescents to delay sexual initiation and substance use have been tested through rigorous evaluations. This is the protocol for the randomized controlled trial of the Asdzáán Be’eena’ program, a teen pregnancy and substance use prevention program for young Native girls and their female caregivers.MethodsN = 410 female adolescents ages 10–14 and their female caregivers will be enrolled in the study and randomized to the intervention or control arm. The intervention consists of the 11-session Asdzáán Be’eena’ program. The control arm consists of mailed non-monetary incentives. All participants will complete evaluations at baseline and 3 follow-up timepoints (immediate, 6 and 12 months post intervention). Evaluations include measures to assess protective factors associated with delayed sexual initiation and substance use.DiscussionThis is one of the first rigorous evaluations of a gender-specific, culturally tailored teen pregnancy and substance use primary prevention program for Native girls and their female caregivers. If proven efficacious, Native communities will have a culturally appropriate program for promoting protective factors associated with delayed substance use and sexual risk taking.Trial registrationNCT04863729; April 27, 2021.
Highlights
Extensive research documents how both early sexual debut and substance use intiation adversely impact the health of an individual
The study will test the efficacy of the Asdzáán Be’eena’(Female Pathways) (AB) program on risk and protective factors associated with delaying adolescent substance use and sexual initiation, as well as actual sexual initiation and substance use
This study protocol presents one of the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a program designed by and for a Native American (Native) community to promote protective factors associated with delayed substance use and sexual initiation among young girls
Summary
Background and rationale Extensive research documents how both early sexual debut and substance use intiation adversely impact the health of an individual. Early sexual debut increases the likelihood of poor sexual and reproductive health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted infections (STI) and unintended teen pregnancy [1,2,3,4] It is associated with a greater number of sexual partners and increased risk of being a victim of intimate partner violence [4,5,6]. Few programs designed with and for Native adolescents to delay sexual initiation and substance use have been tested through rigorous evaluations This is the protocol for the randomized controlled trial of the Asdzáán Be’eena’ program, a teen pregnancy and substance use prevention program for young Native girls and their female caregivers
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