Sexual, preconceptional and reproductive health promotion among youths

Title

It’s never too early – sexual, preconceptional and reproductive health promotion among youths

Background

Sweden is often seen as a forerunner in sexual health, and Swedish health care is generally well developed when it comes to sexual and reproductive health care. Despite this there are alarming trends within sexual and reproductive health, for example high sexual risk taking, high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections and postponed parenthood. To promote sexual and reproductive health and enable informed choices about fertility and preconceptional health, interventions must start early.

Aim

The overall aim of this project is to increase adolescents’ awareness and knowledge of fertility and preconception health by developing and evaluating an intervention for adolescents.

Method

The project includes both qualitative and quantitative methods. The intervention is developed using participatory action approach with both adolescents and health care providers. After the methodological development and a pilot study, a randomized controlled trial will be conducted to evaluate the effect of the intervention.

Relevance

This project gives a unique possibility to increase our knowledge about adolescents sexual, preconceptional and reproductive health and contribute to develop health care. To explore how to increase informed choices about fertility and preconceptional health is of great relevance for both individuals and society. We aim to develop an intervention to improve adolescents’ knowledge, awareness and beliefs regarding fertility and preconception health, that is relevant and rewarding to the adolescents and feasible for the care givers. If successful, the project will also present data to inform an implementation strategy to introduce the intervention into standard care. Our overall goal with this project is to improve the preconception health among Swedish adolescents’.

Funding

Uppsala University, the Foundation for Family Planning in Uppsala, Sophiahemmet Association, The Swedish Association of Midwives, the Ebba Danelius Foundation, Uppsala Sjuksköterskehem, European Society of Contraception and Reproductive Health

Research group

Principal investigator: Maria Grandahl, PhD, Uppsala University
Alkistis Skalkidou, professor Uppsala University
Maria Ekstrand Ragnar, PhD, Region Skåne/Lund University
Magdalena Mattebo, PhD, Mälardalen University
Jenny Stern, PhD, Sophiahemmet University and Uppsala University