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Increasing Awareness, Knowledge, and Confidence Level of Accessing Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health Services and Resources for School Personnel at a Public Middle School

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Abstract
Background: Many adolescents do not have access to adequate sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education and lack awareness and knowledge of services and resources. Adolescents spend more time in school than any other setting. School personnel play a crucial role in guiding youth to make informed and thoughtful decisions. They can promote access to available services but must have awareness, knowledge, and confidence about SRH education, services, and resources. The problem addressed in this project is low awareness and knowledge about adolescent SRH services and resources among middle school personnel. Purpose: This project aimed to increase middle school personnel’s awareness, knowledge, and confidence level of accessing SRH services and resources. Methods: A toolkit was created and implemented with an in-person educational training on local adolescent SRH education, services and resources. Measurements assessed awareness and knowledge, perceived helpfulness, and feedback prior, immediately post, and three-months post training. Questions from the Sexual Health Education for Professionals Scale (SHEPS) measured confidence level. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, frequencies, percentages, and content analysis. Results: All participants were health educators (n= 7). Participants’ awareness and knowledge of SRH services and resources improved after project implementation. The post-test (M= 20.16, SD=3.43) and three- month post-test (M= 19.33, SD= 4.45) SHEPS scores increased from the pre-test (M=16.3, SD= 4.54). Participants reported that the toolkit and presentation were helpful and that they referred back to the content. Conclusion: This project supports that a toolkit and educational training are effective in increasing school health educators’ awareness, knowledge and confidence level.
Type
Capstone Project
Date
2024-05
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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
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