Mona Desai

Coming of age on the streets: Survival sex among homeless young women in Hollywood

This study examined childhood physical or sexual abuse, involvement in dependency or delinquency systems, psychiatric hospitalization, and suicide as possible risk factors for survival sex among homeless young women. Homeless young women were found to have similarly high rates of childhood sexual abuse, dependency and delinquency systems involvement, and psychiatric hospitalization. Homeless young women involved in survival sex disclosed higher rates of attempted suicide and reported marginally higher rates of childhood physical abuse. Analysis of qualitative data showed that those engaged in survival sex were motivated primarily by desperation to meet basic needs including a place to stay, food and money, and one third mentioned that peers commonly were influential in decisions to engage in survival sex. Others were influenced by coercion (10%) or pursuit of drugs (10%). Young women engaged in survival sex generally experienced regret and shame about their experience.

Promoting Prenatal and Early Childhood Health: Evaluation of a Statewide Materials-Based Intervention for Parents

OBJECTIVES There is a critical need for effective, large-scale health communication programs to support parents of children aged 0-5 years. We evaluated the effectiveness of the Kit for New Parents, a multimedia health and parenting resource now distributed annually to 500000 parents in California. METHODS In this quasi-experimental study, 462 mothers in the intervention group and 1011 mothers in the comparison group, recruited from prenatal and postnatal programs, completed a baseline interview about health-relevant parenting knowledge, and mothers in the intervention group received the kit. Both groups were reinterviewed 2 months later. At 14-months postbaseline, 350 mothers in the intervention group and a sample of 414 mothers who had equivalent demographic characteristics (comparison group) were interviewed about parenting knowledge and practices. RESULTS Of the mothers in the intervention group, 87% reported using the kit within 2 months after receiving it, and 53% had shared it with their partner. At both follow-ups, mothers in the intervention group showed greater gains in knowledge and reported better practices at 14 months than did mothers in the comparison group. Gains were greater for prenatal recipients and for Spanish speakers. Providers considered the kit a valuable resource for their parenting programs. CONCLUSIONS The kit is an effective, low-cost, statewide health intervention for parents.

Positive Youth Development: An Integration of the Developmental Assets Theory and the Socio-Ecological Model

Abstract Background: Health problems such as sexually transmitted infections and diabetes continue to rise, especially among African American and Hispanic adolescents in low-income communities. Youth development programs are an effective public health response, benefiting participants, the programs that serve them, and their community. Purpose: To explore the efficacy of integrating the Developmental Assets (DA) and Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) in a pilot youth program, the Youth Health Action Board (YHAB). Methods: YHAB was created and implemented by youth. Its impact was examined through individual interviews to learn youth impressions of how their experience affected themselves and their community. Results: YHAB participants feel they personally grew through their experience of building external support in their community, increasing both internal and external DAs. Internal assets were dominant, however students benefited from external support and empowerment. Discussion: YHAB was a successful integration of the DA and SEM for youth development. Additional research could deepen findings and allow extrapolation to broader populations. Translation to Health Education Practice: YHAB program strength lies in its youth development process. Similar programs should look different in each community, as community and youth needs and resources shape program activities.

Young men and the morning after: a missed opportunity for emergency contraception provision?

Objectives Although adolescents and young adults of lower socioeconomic status (SES) are disproportionately affected by unintended pregnancies, research on experiences with emergency contraception (EC) in this population has lagged. Furthermore, it is unclear whether EC-related knowledge and behaviour varies between young men and women. This study investigated knowledge, attitudes and experiences with EC among low SES young men and women aged 18–25 years. Methods One hundred and ninety-eight new enrollees at two Los Angeles primary medical care clinics completed surveys about their knowledge, past use and likelihood of using EC. Chi square (χ2) and regression analyses assessed gender differences in knowledge and attitudes. Results Women were more likely than men to accurately answer questions about EC and its use. Across both sexes, accurate knowledge predicted future willingness to use EC. Only half the women and a third of men knew that EC could be directly dispensed by pharmacists; even fewer knew that the legal access age for EC was 17 years (13%) or that men could access EC from pharmacies for their female partners (24%). Although respondents most commonly reported that friends were their source of current information about EC, both men and women chose health care professionals as their desired source of future information about EC. Conclusions Young men in this sample were significantly less knowledgeable than young women about EC. Educating young men about EC by health care providers during routine visits may be a unique opportunity to increase EC knowledge, access and use among low-income young couples to decrease undesired pregnancies.

Is Current Measurement of Contraception Use Hindering Identification of Evidence-Based Pregnancy Prevention for Vulnerable Adolescents?

The authors discuss the use of contraception and prevention of pregnancy among teenagers. They mention the reported use of contraceptives and the circumstances in which it used, the difference between perfect and typical use, and the need to reconsider the distinctions.