Study Details

The program was evaluated using a randomized controlled trial involving Black and Hispanic women between the ages of 18–20 living in the United States. The study advertised on social media to recruit participants. Participants were randomly assigned to either an intervention group that received the self-paced Pulse app program or a control group that received a different health app. Surveys were administered immediately before the program (baseline), six weeks after study enrollment, and six months after study enrollment. The study found that, at the time of the six-week follow-up survey, there were no statistically significant differences in behavioral outcomes related to contraceptive use or differences in the outcomes of women in the treatment group and women in the control group. Results from the six-month follow-up survey also showed no differences between the two groups in pregnancy and contraceptive use outcomes. The study also examined program impacts on measures including use of hormonal or long-acting reversible contraceptives in the participant's last sexual encounter, birth control knowledge, attitudes about birth control, and attitudes about sexual and reproductive health care. Findings for these outcomes were not considered for the review because they fell outside the scope of the review. Finally, the study examined impacts on contraceptive use at last sexual encounter. These outcomes were estimated using an endogenous subgroup, and thus, these analyses received a low rating.