The IN·clued Program: A Randomized Control Trial of an Effective Sex Education Program for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning Youths

Abstract

PurposeThe IN·clued: Inclusive Healthcare – Youth and Providers Empowered, program is an educational intervention designed to reduce unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning youths. The goals are to increase sexual health knowledge, healthcare self-efficacy, and sexual healthcare use, and to reduce unprotected sexual behaviors. MethodsThrough funding from the federal Office of Adolescent Health Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, IN·clued was evaluated using a cluster randomized control trial. The study took place in 16 states with 1,401 youths; 1,182 of whom (84.4%) completed surveys one year after the workshop. This analysis uses an intent-to-treat framework using ordinary least squares regressions to estimate the effects on each outcome. ResultsOne year after the workshop, compared with the control youths, a significantly smaller proportion of IN·clued participants had vaginal sex without a condom in the past three months and did so significantly fewer times. Youths who received IN·clued demonstrated significantly higher knowledge and healthcare self-efficacy scores. A significantly greater proportion of the program youths had been to a doctor or clinic for and received contraception or birth control. A significantly greater proportion of the program youths reported feeling they could advocate for their own relevant sexual health care. ConclusionsIN·clued sought to change risky sexual behaviors, sexual health knowledge, receipt of sexual health care services, and self-efficacy regarding health care and achieved these goals. Findings were extremely positive with a population that has been neglected in sex education programs.