Abstract
An exploratory study was conducted to determine if: (1) web-linked computer interventions can help low-income minority teens maintain or increase condom use; (2) directed use of computers for health purposes during clinic waiting room time is more helpful than is self-generated computer use. Teen clinics were randomly assigned to treatment and comparison conditions. Teens attending treatment clinics were directed to view one of two very brief condom-promoting PowerPoint presentations linked to teen-friendly health websites. Teens attending comparison clinics were allowed to use the computers for whatever purposes they chose. Treatment teens returning for follow-up appointments 3–6 months later knew more of the relevant information and were more likely to have “always” used condoms than comparison teens who did not have directed guidance in using the computers. This study suggests that to achieve meaningful outcome-based health education using computers and the Internet in clinics serving low-income minority youth, directed learning is likely to be more efficacious than unguided exploration or general use. Indeed, directed learning using technology may help reduce some of the health disparities experienced by low-income minority youth by increasing protective behaviors. Further research on this approach is merited.
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Acknowledgment
This article is based on a presentation, Reducing Teen Health Disparities through Technology, given at the University of Chicago-sponsored One-Day Symposium on “Virtual Sex Ed: Youth, Race, Sex and New Media”, June 5, 2009, Chicago, Illinois. We thank Grady Health System Teen Services Program for their assistance with this project along with Melissa J. Kottke MD, MPH who reviewed project materials for medical accuracy. Daniel S. Blumenthal, MD, MPH provided helpful comments on a draft of this paper. This research was supported by funds granted by the Brush Foundation to the Morehouse School of Medicine Prevention Research Center. It was also supported by grant 5U48DP000049 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to Morehouse School of Medicine and a grant from the Kendeda Fund to Emory University School of Medicine Jane Fonda Center, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Howard, M.N., Davis, J.A. & Mitchell, M.E. Improving Low-Income Teen Health Behaviors with Internet-Linked Clinic Interventions. Sex Res Soc Policy 8, 50–57 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-011-0037-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-011-0037-2