Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health in Teens

N/ACompletedNCT02031575

Harvard University1,419 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of the Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health in Teens (SMART) is to evaluate the effectiveness of using text messages to improve the knowledge, communication, and attitudes about reproductive health among female adolescents in Greater Accra senior high schools. Previous research as well as qualitative work conducted by the Investigators shows that there are significant gaps in knowledge about reproductive health including on topics of pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and contraception among secondary school students in Greater Accra. These gaps contribute to unwanted pregnancy and spread of sexually transmitted diseases. At the same time, phone ownership and use among young people has spread rapidly, especially in urban areas such as Accra. The Study on Mhealth and Reproductive Health (SMART) will seek to use mobile phone messages to increase awareness of these reproductive health issues among female adolescents in Accra. The objectives of SMART are to evaluate whether the messages can increase knowledge, increase communication, and improve attitudes towards reproductive health among adolescents in Greater Accra. By conducting a randomized controlled trial, we will be able to statistically evaluate if the messages have had any effect on improving outcomes for adolescents in the areas of knowledge, communication, and attitudes. This work can help guide future programs that can scale up this intervention and ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of adolescents across Ghana.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

1,419

Conditions

Reproductive Health

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 14 YearsMax age: 24 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria (for treated and control subjects): * female * aged 14-24 * secondary school student at day school Exclusion Criteria (for treated and control subjects): * male * secondary school student at boarding school Inclusion criteria (for spillover subjects): * aged 14-24 * secondary school student at day school Exclusion Criteria (for spillover subjects): \- secondary school student at boarding school

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Knowledge of Reproductive Health True/False Quiz of 20 questions

Time frame: 5-6 months after baseline and then again 14-16 months after baseline

Sexual behavior

Assessed via a number of items: age at sexual debut, sex without a condom in the past year, pregnancy in the past year, ever had sex, use of condom at sexual debut, sex in the past year, used any contraception in the past year, used contraception at last sex, had an abortion

Time frame: 14-16 months after baseline

Secondary Outcomes

Communication about reproductive health with family, friends, professional, and boyfriend

Communication is assessed via questionnaire items that ask the participant how often the participant has communicated with family, friends, professional, and boyfriend over the past 3 months.

Time frame: 3 months (asked 5-6 months after baseline and again 12-14 months after baseline)

Attitudes about reproductive health as measured by 5-point Likert type scale

Attitudes about reproductive health are measured via questionnaire items that ask participants about their attitudes about reproductive health. They respond via a 5-point Likert type scale.

Time frame: 5-6 months after baseline and asked again 12-14 months after baseline