Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Tenney, Rachel S
• Harrison, Salish
• Price, Melisa
• Decker, Mara

Titel

A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF HEALTH EDUCATORS' PERSPECTIVES ON USE OF BLENDED IN-PERSON AND DIGITALLY-BASED CURRICULUM TO IMPROVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH OF YOUTH IN FRESNO, CA

Ist Teil von

• Journal of adolescent health, 2021-02, Vol.68 (2S), p.S29

Ort / Verlag

New York: Elsevier BV

Erscheinungsjahr

2021

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA)

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Purpose: In the last decade, use of technology-based sexual health education programs to reduce sexually transmitted infections and undesired adolescent pregnancy has increased. Multiple studies have shown feasibility of technology-based interventions in improving youths1 sexual health outcomes (e.g. condom use, sexual health knowledge, safer sex norms, etc.), while a subset have also shown efficacy in these domains. Health educators play a vital role in the use of technology to augment sexual health curricula, so facilitating the implementation of technology for educators is necessary for maintaining technology as a viable resource for engaging with youth and improving sexual health outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine the successes and challenges health educators faced in implementing "In the Know", a blended in-person and digitally-based curriculum, to youth in Fresno County, California. "In the Know" covers sexual and reproductive health, healthy relationships and life skills, and education and career success. The "In the Know" curriculum also includes access to the "In the Know" mobile application, which allows users to take the knowledge gained in the classroom to generate health and career goals, set reminders to keep them on track, browse curated content, and receive text messages reinforcing key messages. Participants can also locate clinics and other services on a map. Methods: Health educators completed implementation logs (n=51) following each session of the "In the Know curriculum". Logs included questions regarding the use of technology, teaching methods, and learning environment during each session. Logs included open-ended and frequency scale-based questions. Free-form text from the logs was coded in Dedoose, a qualitative software, and a subset were double-coded to asses for inter-coder reliability. Free-form text was then thematically analyzed, with particular attention to the use of technology and digital content. Thematic analysis was also used to analyze the transcripts of annually-conducted semi-structured interviews with eight health educators. Results: The review of implementation logs identified several common positive and negative themes when integrating technology into the classroom. During 52% of sessions, health educators reported that technology issues affected implementation of the curriculum "some of the time." Common challenges for health educators included: lack of access to classroom technology hardware (e.g., projectors, speakers), incompatible operating systems on phones/tablets, youth's lack of access to a smartphone, phone number or email address, and slow or unavailable wireless internet. In anticipation of these potential challenges, health educators came prepared with alternate methods of curriculum delivery. Health educators noted the use of digital content resonated well with the youth, specifically Kahoot, a game-based online learning platform, and 0*NET OnLine, a career exploration website, and increased engagement and participation in the curriculum. Conclusions: Integrating high-quality digital content into a classroom-based sexual health and life skills curriculum may allow health educators to tailor materials to the unique needs and preferences of specific youth cohorts. Health educators should receive training and plan for potential challenges related to the integration of digital content and mobile applications into a classroom-based curriculum to ensure successful implementation.