ADOLESCENT MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HORMONAL CONTRACEPTION

专业目标：这个以病人为导向的研究职业发展奖的总体目标是促进博士的专业，学术和研究发展。除了探索有关激素避孕的担忧和误解的拟议项目外，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财务问题课程。在Loretta Jemmott博士的指导下，Clark博士希望利用这个奖项来确立自己在青少年性风险行为领域的学术领导者地位。避孕项目的具体目标：该项目将采用横向和纵向研究设计，以：a）确定青少年对激素避孕方法的态度、关注和误解（Norplant、Depo-Provera和口服避孕药）; B）确定与对激素避孕的态度、担忧和误解相关的性别、种族/民族、性史和社会人口因素;以及c）确定这些态度、担忧和误解在多大程度上预示着不使用或不依从激素避孕。本研究将分为两个部分：（1）基线部分，包括三个阶段，旨在确定青少年对激素避孕的态度、担忧和误解，以及与这些担忧相关的性别、种族/民族、性史、社会人口学特征;和（2）随访部分，以确定激素避孕药的使用和/或依从性是否与态度有关，对这些避孕方法的担忧和误解。假设：1.大多数被调查的青少年对激素避孕有顾虑和误解。2.少数民族青少年（非洲裔美国人和西班牙裔）对激素避孕的负面态度、担忧和误解比白色非西班牙裔青少年更大。3.对激素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.对激素避孕有消极态度、担忧和误解的青少年对使用这些方法的依从性较低。结论：通过针对对激素避孕的消极态度、关切和误解，我们将能够更好地鼓励青少年使用这些非常有效的方法。增加使用Depo-Provera、Norplant和口服避孕药，提高依从性，将导致少女意外怀孕率的总体下降。

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.