Abstract

According to Martin, Kochanek, Strobino, Guyer, & MacDorman (2005), the lowest reported rate in the past six decades for teenage pregnancy in the United States occurred in the year 2003. Although this was found significant, the United States still holds the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the industrialized world. It has been estimated that by the year 2010 there will be a 10% increase in the number of teenage girls between the ages of 15-19(Coren, 2005). Therefore, it was found imperative to increase the awareness and promotion of healthy sexual behaviors to reduce further teenage pregnancy. The purpose of this Evidence Based Practice (EBP) study was to develop a nurse practitioner knowledge base regarding health promotion and education in teenage pregnancy prevention. The research questions asked: (a) what are evidence-based interventions for reducing teenage pregnancy? and (b) what is the role of the Family Nurse Practitioner in decreasing the occurrence of teenage pregnancy? From these questions a systematic review of literature was conducted utilizing CINAHL, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library. A total of 48 articles were collected from this review with 8 articles found to be pertinent and reviewed. The remaining articles were found to be helpful for this research project, and were included on broader views relating to the study. Tabi’s Educational Career Youth Model was found to be relevant to this study, and employed as the study’s theoretical foundation. This model supported many incorporating factors contributing to teenage pregnancy, such as individual characteristics, environmental resource availability, and high-risk behaviors in order to provide interventions based on the population’s needs. From these factors prevention interventions were identified to help improve desired outcomes. Many programs and interventions were found to be effective in preventing teenage pregnancy. Likewise, many characteristics and variables were involved in the occurrence of teenage pregnancy. It was found impossible to design a program around every identified characteristic contributing to teenage pregnancy. Therefore, programs that involved interventions for the most prominent variables, instead of focusing on all of them, were beneficial. Interventions were found to have added benefits when started at an age before sexual initiation occurred, thus mediation should begin at an early age. According to one study by Klein (2005), the average age for first intercourse was 17 for girls and 16 for boys. Therefore, interventions should begin before this age period, preferably much sooner, in order to have an effective impact on teenagers. This study also incorporated the nurse practitioner’s role in reducing the occurrence of teenage pregnancy. Although there was limited information regarding the nurse practitioner, interventions involving other health care professionals were identified. These solutions were used in this study and found relevant to nurse practitioners’ role. These limited findings could be beneficial in alerting researchers of the need and opportunity to evaluate nurse practitioners’ role in health promotion and education of teenagers in pregnancy prevention.

Degree

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Department

Graduate Nursing

Degree Date

7-1-2006

Publication Number

27919779

First Advisor

Dr. Sandra Kirkland

Second Advisor

Dr. Rebecca Cagle

Document Type

Thesis

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