Study Details

Citation

Martin, S., Hill, A., Nye M., Hollman-Billmeier, K. (2015) Evaluation of Alaska Promoting Health Among Teens, Comprehensive Abstinence and Safer Sex (AKPHAT) in Alaska. Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage.

Program Name
Promoting Health Among Teens! Comprehensive Abstinence and Safer Sex Intervention
Show Evidence of Effectiveness
No
Study Rating and Explanation
Moderate — Random assignment study with high attrition that that did not meet the criteria for a high rating but met all criteria for a moderate rating; findings show no positive, statistically significant impact on a relevant behavioral outcome measure for either the full sample or key subgroups

Program Information

Program Type
Sexual health education
Program Length
10 to 20 sessions

Evaluation Setting

Evaluation Setting
After school

Study Sample

Average Age Group
14 to 17
Majority Racial/Ethnic Group
American Indian or Alaska Native
Gender
Youth of any gender

Research Design

Assignment Method
Randomized controlled trial
Sample Size
302
Number of Follow-Ups
1
Length of Last Follow-Up
6
Year of Last Data Collection
2015

Study Findings

Result Sexual Activity
Indeterminate evidence
Result Contraceptive
Indeterminate evidence
Reviewed Studies
Moderate-Quality Randomized Trial
Protocol Version
Version 5.0
Effect Sizes
{"0": {"ProgramName":"Promoting Health Among Teens! Comprehensive Abstinence and Safer Sex Intervention","StudyID":"PPRER016001","ManuscriptID":"PPRER016001","sid":"167","Rating":"Moderate","OutcomeName":"Unsafe sex in the past 3 months","OutcomeDomain":"Contraceptive Use","OutcomeDichotomous":"Yes","SampleType":"Full sample","FUTimingMonths":"6","FUReference":"End of Program","MeanTreat":"0.241","MeanComp":"0.248","TpperES":"-0.021643","StatSigRepEffect":"No","RepEffectFavorable":"Not significant","RepEffectMeet":"No"},"1": {"ProgramName":"Promoting Health Among Teens! Comprehensive Abstinence and Safer Sex Intervention","StudyID":"PPRER016001","ManuscriptID":"PPRER016001","sid":"167","Rating":"Moderate","OutcomeName":"Sexual intercourse in the past 3 months","OutcomeDomain":"Sexual Activity","OutcomeDichotomous":"Yes","SampleType":"Full sample","FUTimingMonths":"6","FUReference":"End of Program","MeanTreat":"0.39","MeanComp":"0.434","TpperES":"-0.109888","StatSigRepEffect":"No","RepEffectFavorable":"Not significant","RepEffectMeet":"No"}}

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 meets the review standards for credible evidence whenever it is statistically significant with 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.

Details
A subsequent study by a separate group of researchers used a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the Alaska Promoting Health Among Teens, Comprehensive Abstinence and Safer Sex (AKPHAT) program, an adaptation of the PHAT-Comprehensive program. The study adapted the PHAT-Comprehensive program to: (1) use peer educators to deliver the program instead of adult facilitators, (2) serve a different target population of older youth in rural areas, (3) use talking circles and talking sticks, and (4) use fingers rather than a penis model in the condom demonstrations module. The study involved 302 Alaskan Native youth recruited from four non-profit organizations serving youth in Alaska. Adolescents participating in the study were randomly assigned to either a treatment group that received the AKPHAT program or a control group that received the standard services available to youth in their schools and communities. The study administered surveys before the program started (baseline), and again immediately, three, six, and 12 months after the end of the program.

Six months after the program ended, the study found no evidence of statistically significant program impacts on sexual activity in the last three months or on having sex without using a condom in the last three months.