Introduction
Teen pregnancy is a significant public health concern that can have long-lasting implications for both the mother and child. In many cases, teen pregnancy can lead to an increased risk of medical complications during pregnancy and childbirth and a higher likelihood of preterm birth and low birth weight. Teen pregnancy’s social and economic consequences are significant, including higher poverty rates and a greater reliance on government assistance. There are underlying assumptions about the causes of teen pregnancy, including lack of access to contraception, lack of sex education, and social and cultural factors that may influence sexual behavior.
Chosen Population
The chosen population for this health promotion plan is adolescent females between the ages of 13 and 19 who reside in urban and low-income areas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), teen birth rates are highest among Black and Hispanic youth and teens from lower-income families (CDC, 2021). Many of these individuals may have limited access to healthcare and educational resources, including family planning and reproductive health services.
Characteristics of Chosen Population
One hypothetical individual from the chosen population is a 16-year-old female named Maria, who resides in a low-income neighborhood in a large urban city. Maria is the eldest daughter of a single mother who works long hours to support their family, and Maria takes care of her younger siblings after school. Maria attends a local high school where she struggles academically and has limited access to health education and resources. She has a boyfriend who is a few years older, and they engage in sexual activity, but she is not using any form of contraception.
Maria’s characteristics are relevant to the targeted population because she represents the challenges many adolescent females face, including limited access to health education, lack of family support, and difficulty balancing school and family responsibilities (Singla et al., 2020). Targeting this population with a comprehensive health promotion plan that includes education and access to healthcare resources can help reduce teen pregnancy and improve outcomes for adolescent mothers and their children.
Health Concern and Educational Plan
It is necessary to consider her social and economic circumstances and cultural and lifestyle factors that could affect her health to create an effective health promotion plan for Maria. This includes addressing potential barriers to accessing healthcare and educational resources, such as limited finances and cultural norms. Furthermore, identifying and addressing Maria’s specific health concerns and needs can improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities within her population. An effective health promotion plan for Maria should provide education about contraception and safe sexual practices, as well as access to reproductive health services.
The educational plan should include information about the importance of family planning, the benefits of contraception, and strategies for accessing affordable healthcare and support services to address these challenges. The program should also address cultural factors impacting sexual health, such as traditional gender roles and taboos surrounding sex education. Finally, the plan should include strategies for managing competing responsibilities, such as caregiving and schoolwork, and setting achievable goals. Ultimately, establishing agreed-upon health goals in collaboration with participants can increase the effectiveness of the health promotion plan and improve health outcomes.
Maria’s potential learning needs include understanding the risks and benefits of different forms of contraception, developing practical communication skills for discussing sexual health with partners and healthcare providers, and learning strategies for managing stress and balancing competing priorities. The study by Nkhoma and colleagues (2020) found that interventions that address social determinants of health, such as poverty and limited access to healthcare, can effectively reduce teen pregnancy rates among high-risk populations. Collaborating with Maria to create SMART goals, such as attending a family planning clinic to discuss contraceptive options or setting aside time each day to focus on schoolwork, can help to ensure that the educational session is tailored to her individual needs and goals.
Current Behaviors: Maria, a 16-year-old Hispanic female residing in a low-income urban neighborhood, is sexually active but not using contraception. She has limited access to health education and resources, struggles academically, and takes care of her younger siblings after school. Clear Expectations: The educational session should address the benefits of contraception and safe sexual practices, as well as strategies for accessing affordable healthcare and support services. It should also provide information on managing competing responsibilities and setting achievable goals.
Suggestions for Meeting Needs: The educational session could include discussing the risks and benefits of contraception, practical communication skills for discussing sexual health with partners and healthcare providers, and strategies for managing stress and balancing competing priorities to address Maria’s needs. Collaborating with Maria to develop SMART goals, such as attending a family planning clinic to discuss contraceptive options or setting aside time each day to focus on schoolwork, can help tailor the educational session to her individual needs and goals.
Health Promotion Goals (Healthy People 2030, 2021):
- Increase knowledge and understanding of safe sexual practices and the benefits of contraception.
- Improve access to reproductive health services and support resources.
- Develop practical communication skills for discussing sexual health with partners and healthcare providers.
- Increase understanding of the impact of cultural and socioeconomic factors on sexual health.
- Develop strategies for managing stress and balancing competing priorities.
Conclusion
In summary, teen pregnancy is a significant and complex public health concern with lasting effects on both the mother and child. Targeting high-risk adolescent females in low-income urban areas with tailored health promotion plans, including education and healthcare access, can reduce teen pregnancy and improve health outcomes. Collaborating with individuals to establish SMART health goals and address social determinants of health can make this approach practical and sustainable.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Teen Pregnancy. Web.
Healthy People 2030. (2021). Adolescent Health. Web.
Nkhoma, D. E., Lin, C. P., Katengeza, H. L., Soko, C. J., Estinfort, W., Wang, Y. C., & Iqbal, U. (2020). Girls’ empowerment and adolescent pregnancy: A systematic review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(5), 1664. Web.
Singla, D. R., Waqas, A., Hamdani, S. U., Suleman, N., Zafar, S. W., Saeed, K., & Rahman, A. (2020). Implementation and effectiveness of adolescent life skills programs in low-and middle-income countries: A critical review and meta-analysis. Behaviour research and therapy, 130, 103402. Web.