Using an iPad App in School Health Centers to Support Latina Teens Making Choices about Birth Control—The Health-E You/Salud iTu Intervention

Abstract

This research project is in progress. PCORI will post the research findings on this page within 90 days after the results are final. What is the research about? Most teen pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Latinas have higher rates of teen pregnancy than whites. Teens who have babies may face health problems and challenges finding jobs or finishing school. This study is testing ways to help Latina teens learn about birth control methods and choose a method that works well for them. Who can this research help? This research can help Latina teens learn about birth control options to avoid unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. It can also help clinicians provide Latina teens with health services that meet teens’ needs. What is the research team doing? The research team worked with doctors, nurses, clinic staff, Latina teens, and community groups to develop and test a computer app called Health-E You/Salud iTu. The app can be used on tablets, smartphones, or computers. The app helps teens decide if they need birth control, gives them information about birth control, and helps them choose a birth control method that is best for them. The healthcare provider gets information from the app about the teens’ preferred birth control method before their visits. The research team is working with 18 school health centers in Los Angeles, California. The team is recruiting 1,400 Latina teens who are at risk of becoming pregnant. The team is assigning the 18 health centers to one of two groups by chance. The first group provides the teens with the Health-E You/Salud iTu app. The second group provides usual care. The research team gives surveys to the teens when they start the study, and e-mails or texts the links to the teens to complete follow-up surveys again at three and six months after their healthcare visits. The surveys ask teens about their knowledge of birth control and their attitudes about and use of birth control. The surveys also ask whether the teens like the app and how satisfied they were with their clinic visit. The research team is partnering with Latina youth, school-based health centers, and community groups throughout the study. Research methods at a glance Design Element Description Design Randomized controlled trial Population Latina adolescents ages 14 to 18 years who are at risk of becoming pregnant or getting sexually transmitted infections Interventions/ Comparators Health-E You/Salud iTu app Usual care Outcomes Primary: the type of birth control currently being used and birth control use during the past 3 months Secondary: satisfaction with the app and clinic visit Timeframe 6-month follow-up for primary outcomes Journal Articles