Introduction
Despite the intention to educate individuals from an early age and cover many risks, some situations are not easy to predict. Nowadays, many people consider adolescent parenting challenging because of the inability to finish high school, the importance of public assistance, or the inevitability of material hardship (Cone et al., 2021). Therefore, it is not enough to explain why teen pregnancy prevention is necessary for Americans. It is more important to indicate the risks and prepare teenagers for obvious life changes and obligations. This health promotion plan will focus on teen pregnancy as a community health concern important for Hispanic and non-Hispanic females to improve adolescent education, ensure access to high-quality care, and reduce unwanted teen pregnancies.
Scenario
In this health promotion plan, the needs of a specific population will be addressed. It is planned to work with 15-19-year-old females from Bryant High School in Queens, New York. Some of them are partially employed to earn a living and meet their basic needs. All girls live with parents or official guardians, and their family incomes are low or middle. They communicate with their peers and friends online and spend a lot of time outside. Some girls have sexual relationships, while others prefer to wait for a special occasion.
Health Concern
In the United States, teenage pregnancy is defined as a public health concern because of the necessity to predict childbirth in women aged between 15 and 19 years. Multiple efforts have already been made at national, state, and local levels, addressing education interventions with respect to specific sociodemographic, racial, and economic factors (Brindis et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2021), teen pregnancy rates have declined by 4-7% during the last decade due to birth control options or sexual activity abstinence. However, these results should not mean this issue is no longer a problem for the American population.
Poor economic outcomes and disparities among teenage parents remain evident, including an annual wage reduction of $2,800 in adulthood (Cone et al., 2021). Teenage mothers demonstrate low school achievement, drop out of schools, or extend their diplomas, which leads to higher unemployment rates and additional financial burdens (CDC, 2021). Finally, teenage pregnancy is associated with unpredictable health complications, like maternal anemia, depression, low birth weight, and neonatal demise (Maheshwari et al., 2022). Teenagers should understand their sexual activity outcomes and be ready to take responsibility for their decisions.
Health Promotion Importance for a Population
Teenage pregnancy concern is important for health promotion within a specific population, namely Hispanic and non-Hispanic girls aged 15 to 19. During the last several years, certain disparities in teen birth have been observed: 25.3% for Hispanic girls, 11.4% for white girls, and 25.8% for black girls (CDC, 2021). Risk factors that encourage teen pregnancy in the chosen group may include poverty, parental neglect, limited educational resources, and family conflicts (Cone et al., 2021). As a result, these girls decide to drop out of school and search for additional funding to protect their lives and their babies’ lives.
Young people need better access to sexual health education to understand the impact of their actions and improve their life opportunities. Developing a health promotion project for this hypothetical group involves regular education sessions, distribution of booklets, and free contraception access. A sociogram is necessary to identify the three ethnic groups at risk (Hispanics, whites, and blacks), economic factors (poverty levels), and social issues (family relationships, parental support, and lifestyles). Regardless of race or ethnicity, young girls doubt asking for additional help, and open access to information is required.
Health Goals
Health education is obligatory for young children to provide them with the necessary background and support to make healthy decisions. In this health promotion program, girls’ learning needs are to understand sexually active life, recognize all safe contraception means, distinguish risks of early pregnancy, and avoid unwanted pregnancies. It is expected to introduce a six-month education session for Hispanic, white, and black female teenagers to obtain credible information, ask questions, and share their experiences without fear of being publicly exposed or judged. One-hour meetings will be held weekly where a healthcare expert will deliver information, share booklets with brief guidelines and recommendations, and offer free contraceptives.
By the end of this program, girls will be able to describe at least three types of contraceptives, explain the causes and outcomes of three sexually transmitted diseases, and share two places where free contraception is offered. At the end of each month, they will be offered to take short anonymous questionnaires based on the information shared so far. This tool will allow the lecturer to understand what girls know, how they perceive the offered information, and if they can contribute to teen pregnancy reduction.
Conclusion
Teen pregnancy is never a simple public health issue with a single solution or prevention strategy. Young people need more time and space to understand the risks and contributions of their sexual activities at an early age and realize the complexity of their choices. Compared to males, Hispanic, white, and black girls are predisposed to the chosen health concern because they must carry babies and deal with multiple social, economic, and health outcomes. Therefore, a health promotion plan that involves education sessions, informative posters, and free contraception access should be developed to support vulnerable female teenagers and provide them with knowledge and resources. Most young girls comprehend their pregnancy risks, but they may not always have credible sources of help and support. Trust, professionalism, and order are necessary to promote healthy sexual behaviors among teenagers.
References
Brindis, C. D., Decker, M. J., Gutmann-Gonzalez, A., & Berglas, N. F. (2020). Perspectives on adolescent pregnancy prevention strategies in the United States: Looking back, looking forward. Adolescent Health, Medicine and Therapeutics, 11, 135-145. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). About teen pregnancy. CDC. Web.
Cone, J. N., Hendrick, C. E., Owotomo, O., Al-Hamoodah, L., & Maslowsky, J. (2021). Socioeconomic well-being in early adulthood among repeat versus one-time teenage mothers. Youth & Society, 53(7), 1090-1110. Web.
Maheshwari, M. V., Khalid, N., Patel, P. D., Alghareeb, R., & Hussain, A. (2022). Maternal and neonatal outcomes of adolescent pregnancy: A narrative review. Cureus, 14(6). Web.