Partnering with Public Schools: A Resident-Driven Reproductive Health Education Initiative

Study ObjectivesTo assess the impact of a resident-driven sexual health educational initiative in an inner-city Cleveland middle school.Design, Setting, and Participants10 resident physicians and 57 students in 7th and 8th grade participated in this prospective cohort study.Interventions and Main Outcome MeasuresResidents taught 3 sessions on the topics of basic anatomy and physiology, pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STI), contraception, and safe relationships. Outcome measures included the percentages of students able to name at least 3 different STIs and contraceptive methods; to name potential complications of STIs; and to correctly identify condoms and abstinence as the only contraceptive methods also protective against STI transmission.ResultsSignificant improvements were noted in students’ baseline knowledge of human anatomy, contraception, and safe sex practices after completion of the curriculum. The percentage of students able to name at least 3 forms of birth control increased from 1.7% to 70.7% (P < .0001). The percentage able to name at least 3 different STIs increased from 5.3% to 72.4% (P < .0001). Follow-up testing 4 months after completion of the curriculum demonstrated significant knowledge retention. All residents and medical students surveyed described a perceived need for comprehensive—rather than abstinence-based—reproductive health education in schools.ConclusionsThe socioeconomic burden of teen pregnancy justifies comprehensive efforts to improve reproductive health education.