The Adolescent Sexual Health Symposium: What we did and what we learned

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The Adolescent Sexual Health Symposium What we
did and what we learned

• February 2-3, 2009
• New York City, New York

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Purpose

• To learn about and explore the latest research
  and best practices regarding the promotion of the
  optimal sexual health of young people
• To bring together experts in the field with
  practitioners, policy makers, emerging leaders,
  health advocates, and youth to inform future DOH
  initiatives

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Symposium Themes

• Current trends in adolescent sexual behavior
• Disparities in access to adolescent sexual health
  services, information, and education
• Ecological influences environments,
  relationships and adolescent sexual health
• New information and communication technologies

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Panel of Experts

• Claire Brindis, UCSF
• Sarah Brown, National Campaign to Prevent Teen
  and Unplanned Pregnancy
• Michael Carerra, Childrens Aid Society
• Alwyn Cohall, Harlem Health Promotion Center,
  Columbia University
• Angela Diaz, Mt. Sinai Adolescent Health Center
• Ralph DiClemente, Emory University
• Douglas Kirby, ETR Associates
• Jonathan Klein, UR-Division of Adolescent
  Medicine
• Deborah Levine, Internet Sexuality Information
  Services
• Guillermo Prado, University of Miami

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Other Stakeholders

• State Agencies
• Advocacy Groups
• National Funders
• NYC agencies
• Providers
• Other
• Youth

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Technology

• Technology is a gift to public health
• - Sarah Brown
• Vital to youth
• Potential exploding
• Can help address racial/ethnic disparities
• Emerging, innovative strategies NOT
  evidence-based

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ISIS-Inc Deb Levine

• Internet Sexuality Information Services
  www.isis-inc.org
• SexInfo
• InSPOT

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Harlem Health Promotion Center Alwyn Cohall

• Use technology to
• Make use of waiting time
• Improve assessment
• Educate patients
• Reach partners

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Clinical Services Service Delivery

• Break down silos
• Holistic and youth-friendly
• Training
• Funding

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SILOS Ralph DiClemente

• The time for incremental changes has passed.
  A bold and innovative initiative is needed.
  Ultimately, political and public health resolve
  and leadership to is needed to create an
  integrated continuum of sexual health services
  and effective delivery systems to eliminate
  racial disparities.

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Holistic, Youth-Friendly Services

• Move beyond a problem focus help young people
  build skills
• Tailor services to youth
• Understand the familial and cultural context

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Training

• Young people see their worth in that workers
  eyes.
• - Michael Carrera

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Funding

• We must always remember to address funding.
  Keep talking about money.
• - Sarah Brown

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Information, Education, Curriculum-Based
Programs

• Media / awareness campaigns
• School-based education
• Effective Programming

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Media / Awareness Campaigns

• Engage youth
• Go positiveand fun!
• Target messages
• Use technology, but be smart about it

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School-Based Education

• School-based health clinics
• Gay/Straight Alliances
• Service-Learning
• Comprehensive sexual health education

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Curriculum-Based Programming

• 17 Characteristics of Effective
  Programshttp//www.thenationalcampaign.org/ea2007
  /characteristics.pdf
• One size will not fit all
• Implement with fidelity
• Positive content broad perspective

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Positive Youth Development

• Programs cant do it all.
• Engage youth
• Engage families
• Engage communities

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Youth

• Involve young people in decision-making roles
  at every level
• Design
• Implementation
• Evaluation

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Families

• Connectedness is protective
• Broad definition of family
• Some parents can become sexperts!
• High aspirations
• Latino and African American family strength

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Communities

• Alignment
• Opportunities for contribution
• Supportive relationships with adults

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Advocacy
Adolescent sexual health poster designed by
Kristy C. Jerkins and Kruti Sheth, based on NYS
DOH Adolescent Sexual Health Working Groups
definition of sexual health
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Additional Resources

• Using Media and Technology to Improve Sexual
  Health Outcomes for Youth (2010) - Alwyn Cohall,
  MD, demonstrates that in clinical practice, using
  youth-friendly technology can lead to far better
  outcomes for adolescent sexual health.
• Using New Media to Promote Adolescent Sexual
  Health (2009)Deb Levine describes some of the
  new media and communications technologies that
  have become popular in recent years, together
  with case examples demonstrating how these
  technologies are being used for sexual and
  reproductive health.
• Adolescent STI/HIV Prevention Programs What
  Works for Teens? (2010) Jessica M. Sales and
  Ralph J. DiClemente examine why STI rates are so
  high among adolescents and explore strategies
  that program providers can use to help
  adolescents effectively reduce their risk.
• A New Vision for Adolescent Sexual and
  Reproductive Health (2009)John S. Santelli and
  Amy T. Schalet review historical and cultural
  contextsparticularly adult attitudes toward
  adolescent sexualityto point us toward healthier
  outcomes in the United States.