Combs Katie Massey, Racz Sarah J, Taussig Heather
Institute of Behavioral Science, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park MD, USA.
Child Youth Serv Rev. 2024 Nov;166. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2024.108004. Epub 2024 Nov 4.
Despite disproportionate rates of childbearing among youth with child welfare involvement, few studies have examined whether this population receives contraceptive information and knows how to access services. This longitudinal study examines responses from 245 youth with child welfare involvement (i.e., youth with an open child welfare case due to maltreatment) before and after the transition to high school. The same youth were interviewed at the end of 7 or 8 grade and roughly 2.5 years later about whether they received contraceptive information or education, if they knew how to access contraceptive services, if they received services, and sources of that information/services. By 10/11 grade, most participants reported knowing how to access contraception and over half of females had received contraception. However, 18% of females and 54% of males had received contraceptive education or information by 10/11 grade. Schools were the dominant (often only) source of contraceptive education or information for males, while medical providers and schools were more common for females. Males were less likely than females to receive contraceptive education or information, know how to access services, or receive services. Contraception was perceived as, and in many cases was, accessible once youth were in high school. However, contraceptive information and education was received late and was incomplete for many youths irrespective of biological sex; for males, it was often never received. Implications for adults working with this population are discussed.
尽管在涉及儿童福利的青少年中生育比例过高，但很少有研究探讨这一人群是否获得了避孕信息以及是否知道如何获得服务。这项纵向研究调查了245名涉及儿童福利的青少年（即因虐待而有未结案儿童福利案件的青少年）在升入高中前后的情况。在7或8年级末以及大约2.5年后，对这些青少年进行了访谈，询问他们是否接受了避孕信息或教育、是否知道如何获得避孕服务、是否接受了服务以及这些信息/服务的来源。到10/11年级时，大多数参与者表示知道如何获得避孕措施，超过一半的女性接受了避孕措施。然而，到10/11年级时，18%的女性和54%的男性接受了避孕教育或信息。学校是男性避孕教育或信息的主要（通常也是唯一）来源，而医疗服务提供者和学校对女性来说更为常见。男性比女性获得避孕教育或信息、知道如何获得服务或接受服务的可能性更小。一旦青少年进入高中，避孕措施在很多情况下被认为是可以获得的。然而，无论生理性别如何，许多青少年获得避孕信息和教育都很晚且不完整；对于男性来说，他们往往从未获得过。本文讨论了与这一人群打交道的成年人的相关影响。
