Enhancing a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program With Text Messaging: Engaging Minority Youth to Develop TOP® Plus Text

Abstract

Piloting helped identify improvements for implementation including offering text messages through multiple platforms so youth without access to a mobile phone could receive messages; rewording texts to allow youth to express opinions without feeling judged; and collecting multiple types of contact information to improve follow-up. Thoughtful attention to social and behavioral theory and investment in iterative formative research with extensive consultation with teens can lead to an engaging texting curriculum that enhances and complements TOP(®).

Mobile Phone Interventions for Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health: A Systematic Review

“…Continued Eight programs focused on pregnancy; 4 of these aimed to increase adoption and correct use of contraceptive methods, 20, 26 -30 2 focused on youth assets and broader pregnancy prevention messaging, 19,31 and 2 provided information to pregnant or parenting adolescents. 32,33 STIs were the focus of 8 programs, with most of them targeting links to services for STI vaccination, 34,35 screening, 36,37 or treatment.…”

Effectiveness of a Social Marketing Campaign Promoting Use of a Sexual Health Text Service by Teens

“…More than three fourths of adolescents in the United States have cell phones (Madden, Lenhart, Duggan, Cortesi, & Gasser, 2013), and teens send an average of seven texts every waking hour (Nielsen, 2011). Teens have indicated an interest in using cell phones and text messaging to receive information related to sexual health (Devine et al, 2014;Gold, Lim, Hellard, Hocking, & Keogh, 2010;Perry et al, 2012;Wright, Fortune, Juzang, & Bull, 2011).…”

Information Communication Technology (ICT): The New Frontier of Child and Youth Care (CYC) Practice

“…The reality is social media and other online technologies have already fundamentally transformed the way in which CYC practitioners and youth interact with each other. (p. 13) There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the potential of ICT for interventions to reduce risk behavior and provide support to youth (Burleson & Kaminer, 2007;Devine, Bull, Dreisbach, & Shlay, 2014;Kiene & Barta, 2006;Rice, Lee, & Taitt, 2011). Whether we like it or not, ICT is an integral and essential feature of modern life.…”