Addressing HIV/Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Pregnancy Prevention Through Schools: An Approach for Strengthening Education, Health Services, and School Environments That Promote Adolescent Sexual Health and Well-Being

• Published in: Journal of adolescent health 2022-04, Vol.70 (4), p.540-549
• Main Authors: Wilkins, Natalie J., Rasberry, Catherine, Liddon, Nicole, Szucs, Leigh E., Johns, Michelle, Leonard, Sandra, Goss, Sally J., Oglesby, Heather
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Adolescent Health; Adolescent pregnancy; Adolescents; Community health services; Disease control; Disease prevention; Female; Health behavior; Health Education; Health planning; Health risks; Health services; Health status; HIV; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV/AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Intervention; Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth; Medical personnel; Pregnancy; Public health; Public schools; Risk behavior; School climate; School connectedness; School environment; School Health Services; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Sex education; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Health; Sexual health education; Sexual health services; Sexually transmitted diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - prevention & control; STD; STDs; Teenagers; Unwanted pregnancy; Well being
• ISSN: 1054-139X; 1879-1972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.05.017

Adolescents’ health behaviors and experiences contribute to many outcomes, including risks for HIV, other sexually transmitted diseases, and unintended pregnancy. Public health interventions and approaches addressing risk behaviors or experiences in adolescence have the potential for wide-reaching impacts on sexual health and other related outcomes across the lifespan, and schools are a critical venue for such interventions. This paper describes a school-based program model developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health for preventing HIV/sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, and related health risk behaviors and experiences among middle and high school students. This includes a summary of the theoretical and evidence base that inform the model, and a description of the model’s activities, organized into three key strategies (sexual health education, sexual health services, and safe and supportive environments) and across three cross-cutting domains (strengthening staff capacity, increasing student access to programs and services, and engaging parent and community partners). The paper also outlines implications for adolescent health professionals and organizations working across schools, clinics, and communities, to address and promote adolescent sexual health and well-being.