Planning a sexual health promotion intervention with homeless adolescents.
The Article "Planning a Sexual Health Promotion Intervention with Homeless Adolescents", discusses preventative methods to decrease risky sexual behaviors among the very vulnerable homeless adolescent population, which includes both men and women. Homeless adolescents are at high risk of contracting STD's (sexually transmitted diseases), because they lack continuous sexual education, the ability to access a health care provider and also to overcome barriers within there personal lives (socially, personally, emotionally, intellectually). This wonderful article refers to the delivery system as a street based intervention program lead by nurses and social workers. The program was initiated due to the lack of literature and information found addressing sexually active adolescents living on the streets. The goals of the program focused specifically on promoting positive sexual health practices among homeless adolescents, by increasing awareness, knowledge and the ability to communicate within an unsheltered environment. The implementation of the program began at a Church drop-in center where adolescents would frequent for hot meals and social service needs. .
Many adolescents participated in the program by first filling out a questionnaire that dealt directly with how to strategize and promote positive sexual health while on the streets. The second part of the program began with an interview with those willing to physically talk one on one with the nurses and social workers. This interview allowed the nurses to assess their knowledge of sexually transmitted disease's and what methods of prevention they engage in. .
The end result was surprising, because many knew the consequences of risky behaviors along with preventative methods and HIV information, however the group did share commonalities such as; no health insurance, lack of resources to help find a physician and no transportation.