ADOLESCENT MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION

职业目标：这项以患者为导向的研究职业发展奖提案的总体目标是为利亚娜·克拉克博士的专业、学术和研究发展做出贡献。除了拟议中的项目探索荷尔蒙避孕的担忧和误解外，克拉克博士还将在宾夕法尼亚大学进行研究培训。她将攻读临床流行病学和生物统计学硕士学位，以及生物伦理学和医学金融问题的课程。在洛蕾塔·杰姆莫特博士的指导下，克拉克博士希望利用这个奖项，在青少年性危险行为领域确立自己的学术领袖地位。避孕项目的具体目标：该项目将使用横断面和纵向研究设计：a)确定青少年对荷尔蒙避孕方法(诺普兰、Depo-Provera和口服避孕药)的态度、担忧和误解；b)确定性别、种族/民族、性史和社会人口因素与对激素避孕的态度、担忧和误解有关；以及c)确定这些态度、担忧和误解对不使用或不遵守激素避孕的预测作用有多大。这项研究将包括两个部分：(1)基线部分，包括三个阶段，旨在确定青少年对荷尔蒙避孕的态度、关切和误解，以及与持有这些关切有关的性别、种族/族裔、性史和社会人口学特征；(2)后续组成部分，以确定荷尔蒙避孕措施的使用和/或遵从性是否与对这些避孕方法的态度、关切和误解有关。研究假设：1。大多数被研究的青少年对荷尔蒙避孕会有担忧和误解。2.与非西班牙裔白人青少年相比，少数族裔青少年(非裔美国人和西班牙裔)对荷尔蒙避孕的负面态度、担忧和误解会更多。3.对荷尔蒙避孕有强烈负面态度、担忧和误解的青少年不太可能选择使用这些方法。4.对荷尔蒙避孕有负面态度、担忧和误解的青少年将不太愿意使用这些方法。结论：通过针对荷尔蒙避孕的负面态度、担忧和误解，我们将能够更好地鼓励青少年使用这些高效的方法。增加使用和改善对Depo-Provera、Norants和口服避孕药的依从性将导致意外青少年怀孕率的总体下降。

PROFESSIONAL GOAL: The overall goal of this patient-oriented research career development award proposal is to contribute to the professional, academic, and research development of Dr. Liana Clark. In addition to the proposed project exploring the concerns and misconceptions about hormonal contraception, Dr. Clark will also pursue research training at the University of Pennsylvania. She will take courses toward the Master's degree in Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, as well as courses in bioethics and financial issues in medicine. Under the mentorship of Dr. Loretta Jemmott, Dr. Clark hopes to use this award to establish herself as an academic leader in the area of adolescent sexual risk behaviors. SPECIFIC AIMS OF CONTRACEPTION PROJECT: This project will use both cross sectional and longitudinal study design to: a) identify the attitudes, concerns and misconceptions of adolescents regarding hormonal methods of contraception (Norplant, Depo-Provera and the oral contraceptive pill); b) determine the gender, racial/ethnic, sexual history, and sociodemographic factors associated with attitudes, concerns and misconceptions about hormonal contraception; and c) determine how strongly these attitudes, concerns and misconceptions predict nonuse of, or noncompliance with hormonal contraception. This study will have two parts: (1) a baseline component that includes three stages designed to identify adolescent attitudes, concerns and misconceptions about hormonal contraception and the gender, racial/ethnic, sexual history, sociodemographic features associated with holding such concerns; and (2) a follow-up component to determine whether hormonal contraceptive use and/or compliance is related to attitudes, concerns and misconceptions about these methods of contraception. HYPOTHESES: 1. The majority of adolescents studied will have concerns and misconceptions about hormonal contraception. 2. Minority adolescents (African-American and Hispanic) will have greater negative attitudes, concerns and misconceptions about hormonal contraception than will white non-Hispanic adolescents. 3. Adolescents who have strongly negative attitudes, concerns and misconceptions about hormonal contraception will be less likely to choose to use these methods. 4. Adolescents who have negative attitudes, concerns and misconceptions about hormonal contraception will be less compliant with the use of these methods. CONCLUSIONS: By targeting the negative attitudes, concerns and misconceptions regarding hormonal contraception, we will be better able to encourage use of these highly effective methods by adolescents. Increased usage and improved compliance with Depo-Provera, Norplant and the oral contraceptive pill will result in an overall decrease in the rate of unintended adolescent pregnancy.