Programs and services to prevent pregnancy, childbearing, and poor birth outcomes among adolescents in rural areas of the Southeastern United States

• Published in: Journal of adolescent health Vol. 21; no. 3; pp. 157 - 166
• Main Authors: Loda, Frank A., Speizer, Ilene S., Martin, Kerry L., DeClerque Skatrud, Julia, Bennett, Trude A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.09.1997; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent girls; Adolescent Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Adolescents; Biological and medical sciences; Birth outcomes; Childbearing; Community Health Services; Family Planning Services; Female; Health Education; Health Services; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Medical sciences; Outreach Programs; Population; Pregnancy; Pregnancy in Adolescence; Pregnancy Outcome; Pregnancy prevention; Prenatal Care; Prevention; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Rural Areas; Rural health services; Rural Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Rural Urban Differences; Southeastern United States; Southeastern USA; Southern States; Specific populations (family, woman, child, elderly...); United States of America; United States; North America; America; Southeastern United States; Childbearing; Pregnancy in adolescence; Rural health services; Birth outcomes; Adolescents; Pregnancy prevention; Human; Pregnancy; Prevention; Health system; Sanitary program; Rural environment; Public health organization; Adolescent; Health service; Public health; Family Planning Programs; Americas; Adolescents, Female; Health Services; Age Factors; Organization And Administration; United States; Maternal Health Services; Delivery Of Health Care; North America; Rural Population > women; Literature Review; Fertility; Population Characteristics; Population; Research Report; Maternal-child Health Services; Demographic Factors; Program Effectiveness; Programs; Health; Adolescent Pregnancy; Reproductive Behavior; Youth; Family Planning; Northern America; Developed Countries; Primary Health Care; Program Evaluation; Population Dynamics; Prenatal Care; Rural Health Services
• ISSN: 1054-139X; 1879-1972
• DOI: 10.1016/S1054-139X(97)00048-7

To illustrate how rural adolescents' needs for pregnancy prevention and improved birth outcomes are currently being addressed, and to suggest strategies for future programs. Local and state-level informants knowledgeable about services to adolescents in the Southeastern United States were identified. Semistructured interviews were used to determine the program start date and time frame, funding sources, target population, participating counties, implementing agency or organization, specific program services, and status of program activities. These programs were categorized by the type of services offered and the population targeted. The most common adolescent services in the rural Southeast attempt either to improve life options of youth, reduce sexual activity, or provide prenatal and postnatal care. Unlike urban areas where there are a variety of family planning providers, in the rural Southeast, health departments are the primary source of family planning for adolescents. There are no abortion providers in most rural areas of the Southeast. The majority of rural programs that include adolescents among the population served are developed for all women rather than specifically for adolescents. Programs specific to rural adolescents are described. The majority of programs in the rural Southeast address only selected adolescent health issues. Successful interventions require locally supported, multipronged, intensive approaches with consistent messages targeted to high-risk populations. Evaluation tools are needed to determine the effectiveness of each component of prevention programs.