Study Details
Calise T.V., Chow, W., and Dore, K.F. JSI Research Training Institute, Inc. Evaluation of Healthy Futures in Three Northeastern Massachusetts Cities: Findings from an Innovative Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program. Final Impact Report for The Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, Inc.. Prepared for the Office of Adolescent Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2015.
Calise, T. V., Chow, W., Dore, K. F., O'Brien, M. J., Heitz, E. R., Millock, R. R. (2016). Healthy futures program and adolescent sexual behaviors in 3 massachusetts cities: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Public Health, 106, S103-S109. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2016.303389
Healthy Futures
Program Information
Evaluation Setting
Study Sample
Research Design
2346
2
12
Study Findings
The program was evaluated using a cluster randomized controlled trial involving 15 middle schools in three northeastern cities in Massachusetts. Schools were randomly assigned within matched pairs to either an intervention group that implemented the Healthy Futures program or a control group that offered their regular school curricula as well as two classroom-based sessions per year on general health topics. Surveys were administered before the start of the program and then annually through 9th grade.
The study found that immediately after the program ended in 8th grade, female students in the schools that delivered the intervention were significantly less likely to report they ever had vaginal sex. The study found no statistically significant impacts on ever having sex for males. Additionally, the study found no statistically significant impacts for the full sample on recent sexual activity or contraceptive use.
Measures of program adherence, fidelity, implementation, youth engagement, and implementation of specific program elements were also reported in the study. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because they fell outside the scope of the review. The study also examined a measure of age at the time of sexual initiation. Findings for this outcome were not considered for the review because they did not meet the review evidence standards. Specifically, findings were reported only for subgroups of youth defined by sexual activity at follow-up.
NA = Not available. This means the authors did not report the information in the manuscripts associated with the studies we reviewed.
a This information was not available whenever authors did not report information for the treatment and comparison groups separately on outcome means, standard deviations, and/or sample sizes.
b Authors reported that the program effect (impact) estimate is statistically significant with a p-value of less than 0.05 based on a two-tailed test.
c For some outcomes, having less of that outcome is favorable. In those cases, an effect with a negative sign is favorable to the treatment group (that is, the treatment group had a more favorable outcome than the comparison group, on average).
d An effect shows credibly estimated, statistically significant evidence whenever it has a p-value of less than 0.05 based on a two-tailed test, includes the appropriate adjustment for clustering (if applicable), and it is not based on an endogenous subgroup.
Language directly from the program model developer or authors.