Objectives: Despite findings suggesting that young adults are more concerned about experiencing an unplanned pregnancy or contracting a sexually transmitted infection (STI) than becoming human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected, no empirical work has investigated whether the specific focus of an intervention may be more or less efficacious at…

Background: The disparity in rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV/AIDS, and unplanned pregnancy between Alaska Native (AN) and non-AN populations, particularly among young adults and females, is significant and concerning. Focus groups were conducted to better understand the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of rural Alaska youth…

Teen pregnancy in the United States has declined significantly in the last two decades. Despite these declines, rates of teen birth, HIV, and STIs in the United States remain among the highest of any industrialized nation. Socio-economic, cultural and structural factors such as poverty, limited access to health care, racism and unemployment…

Project CHOICES developed an integrated behavioral intervention for prevention of prenatal alcohol exposure in women at high risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies. Settings included primary care, university-hospital based obstetrical/gynecology practices, an urban jail, substance abuse treatment settings, and a media-recruited sample in three large…

Many teenagers have unplanned, unwanted pregnancies. Research has shown that effective contraceptive use is hampered by a lack of knowledge and by negative attitudes. Providing accurate information does not necessarily lead to contraceptive use. This two-phase study attempted to assess contraceptive behavior, knowledge, and beliefs. In the first…

Reviews basic and evaluative research that has reported a relationship between sex education and pregnancy-related behaviors among adolescents. Examines findings from national probability surveys about the relationship between sex education and coital behavior and contraception. Review behavioral success among different types of primary…