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. 2020 Jun;45(3):615-625.
doi: 10.1007/s10900-019-00781-z.

The Teen Access and Quality Initiative: Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health Best Practices in Publicly Funded Health Centers

Anna W Brittain  1 , Heather D Tevendale  2 , Trisha Mueller  2 , Aniket D Kulkarni  2 , Dawn Middleton  3 , Michela L B Garrison  4 , Mary R Read-Wahidi  5 , Emilia H Koumans  2
Affiliations

The Teen Access and Quality Initiative: Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health Best Practices in Publicly Funded Health Centers

Anna W Brittain et al. J Community Health. 2020 Jun.

Abstract

Quality adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) services play an important role in supporting the overall health and well-being of adolescents. Improving access to this care can help reduce unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and their associated consequences, as well as promote health equity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded three grantees to implement a clinic-based ASRH quality improvement initiative complimented by activities to strengthen systems to refer and link youth to ASRH services. The purpose of this study is to describe the initiative and baseline assessment results of ASRH best practice implementation in participating health centers. The assessment found common use of the following practices: STD/HIV screening, education on abstinence and the use of dual protection, and activities to increase accessibility (e.g., offering after-school hours and walk-in and same-day appointments). The following practices were used less frequently: provider training for Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) insertion and removal, LARC availability, same-day provision of all contraceptive methods, and consistent sharing of information about confidentiality and minors' rights with adolescent clients. This study describes the types of training and technical assistance being implemented at each health center and discusses implications for future programming.

Keywords: Adolescent health; Community health center; Quality improvement; Reproductive health; Teen pregnancy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
TAQ Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Framework
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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