Programs to Reduce Teen Pregnancy, Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Associated Sexual Risk Behaviors: A Systematic Review

This paper presents findings from an ongoing systematic review of research on teen pregnancy and STI prevention programs to help support evidence-based approaches to teen pregnancy prevention. A total of 88 studies met the review criteria for study quality and were included in the data extraction and analysis. Results indicate that the number and rigor of evaluation studies on teen pregnancy and STI prevention programs has grown substantially since the late 1980s. Key strengths of the literature are the large number of randomized controlled trials, the common use of multiple follow-up periods, and attention to a broad range of program models delivered in diverse settings. Two main gaps are a lack of replication studies and the need for more research on Latino youth and other high-risk populations. [21 PDF pages]