Overview
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FOCUS: Preventing Sexually Transmitted Infections and Unwanted Pregnancies among Young Women
Investigators: Cherrie Boyer, Mary-Ann Shafer, Lance Pollack, Kelli Betsinger, Y. Jason Yang, Julius Schachter, Richard Shaffer, Stephanie Brodine, Heidi Kraft
Publication Date: April 07, 2016
About This Product
The FOCUS program, a four-session cognitive-behavioral group intervention addressing prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancies, was originally delivered to young women US Marine Corps recruits.
Following a baseline survey, 2,157 women were randomized into either the experimental group (n=1,062) or the control group (n=1,095). Both groups received interventions of four two-hour sessions. Follow-up surveys were conducted with both groups at approximately four months post-baseline and approximately 14 months post-baseline.
The evaluation results revealed that a higher proportion of the control group had a post-intervention STI or unintended pregnancy than the intervention group (Odds Ratio = 1.41, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.01-1.98). Among study participants who had no pre-intervention history of STIs or pregnancy, but who engaged in risky sexual behaviors just before recruit training, the control group was significantly more likely to acquire a post-intervention STI than the intervention group (OR = 2.05, CI = 1.74-4.08). Among study participants who reported not being sexually experienced at baseline, control group participants were significantly more likely to have had multiple sexual partners post-intervention than intervention group participants (OR = 1.87, CI = 1.01-3.47).
FOCUS is supported by the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH)'s Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) program as an EBI that is medically accurate, age appropriate, and has been proven through rigorous evaluation to prevent teen pregnancy and/or associated sexual risk behaviors.
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Planning & Pre-Implementation
- Materials
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- Other Documents
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Implementation
- Session 1: Unintended Pregnancy and STIs
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- GROUND RULES
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- MODULE 1
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- MODULE 4
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- Session 2: Contraception and Communication
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- Session 3: STIs, HIV & AIDS
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- Session 4: Effects of Alcohol and Skills-Building
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- MODULE 2
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Product Details
- 4 interactive sessions
- Group discussion, role play, and video
- Separate training module course available for facilitators