The Use of Telehealth to Teach Reproductive Health to Female Rural High School Students.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the use of telehealth to teach reproductive health to rural areas with high rates of teen pregnancy.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Two high schools in rural West Virginia.

PARTICIPANTS

High school female students who attended telehealth sessions.

INTERVENTIONS

Teleconferencing equipment connected rural high schools to a distal academic institution. Telehealth sessions included reproductive health and life skills topics. Demographic information, session pre- and post-tests, and 6- month assessment was obtained.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Reproductive health knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy were assessed at intervention and at 6 months, along with Likert scale evaluation of telehealth as an educational tool.

RESULTS

Fifty-five students participated in the program with an average age of 16.14 (SD 1.24) years. Only 20% (10/50) of subjects' mothers and 12% (6/50) of subjects' fathers had achieved education beyond high school, and 20% (10/50) of subject's mothers had experienced teen pregnancies (age 18 or younger). Sexual activity was reported among 52% (26/50) of subjects, 4/50 (8%) reported desire to become pregnant within the next year, and 4/50 (8%) reported already pregnant. Thirty-seven students completed the 6-month follow-up survey. Reported condom use increased from 20% (10/50) at baseline to 40% (15/37) at 6 months (P = .04) and hormonal contraception use increased from 22% (11/50) to 38% (14/37) (P = .12). Report of human papillomavirus vaccination increased from 38% (10/26) to 70% (26/37) (P = .001) among all subjects. At 6 months, 91.8% (34/37) reported the use of telehealth was "very effective" as a means to teach the material.

CONCLUSIONS

Telehealth is an effective tool to teach reproductive health to rural areas.