Brown, Sylvia Rose
(2009)
Addressing Teen Pregnancy in Rural Settings through Comprehensive Teen-Focused Prenatal Programs.
Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
During an internship at Magee-Womens Hospital, I had the opportunity to work with the teen centered prenatal care program. Through my interactions with the teens, I found that it is very beneficial to them to have access to a prenatal care program that is teen-focused. I wondered if access the same type of program would be beneficial to pregnant teens in rural areas.Although rates have declined, teen pregnancy continues to be a health issue with significant social and economic implications. Pregnant teens are a vulnerable population at higher risk for poor prenatal and post-partum outcomes. Pregnant teens have unique circumstances that require a different approach than that provided to pregnant adults. Teen parents lack parenting skills and are at a higher risk for child abuse and neglect. Teen mothers are less likely to finish high school and more likely to have poor long-term outcomes. Teen pregnancy in rural settings is as much of an issue as teen pregnancy in urban settings, however, the availability of teen-focused prenatal services in rural areas are disproportionately low. Pregnant teens in rural areas are limited to seeking care in adult-focused clinics or traveling to neighboring urban counties for teen-focused services. Pregnant teens would benefit from comprehensive teen-focused prenatal care programs. Providing care in a teen-focused setting allows teens to learn needed skills in a supportive atmosphere. A teen-focused program addresses issues such as increasing the use of contraception to prevent subsequent pregnancies; it also provides nutritional counseling, teaches parenting skills, encourages continued education, and identifies available resources. Teen Outreach is an example of a comprehensive teen centered education program located in Washington County, PA. The program provides prenatal, post-partum, and parenting education for pregnant teens in a rural setting. The purpose of this thesis is to address the need for comprehensive teen-focused prenatal programs in rural areas.
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Details
Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
Status: |
Unpublished |
Creators/Authors: |
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ETD Committee: |
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Date: |
29 January 2009 |
Date Type: |
Completion |
Defense Date: |
24 November 2008 |
Approval Date: |
29 January 2009 |
Submission Date: |
10 December 2008 |
Access Restriction: |
No restriction; Release the ETD for access worldwide immediately. |
Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
Schools and Programs: |
School of Public Health > Behavioral and Community Health Sciences |
Degree: |
MPH - Master of Public Health |
Thesis Type: |
Master's Thesis |
Refereed: |
Yes |
Uncontrolled Keywords: |
rural programs; Teen pregnancy |
Other ID: |
http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-12102008-150228/, etd-12102008-150228 |
Date Deposited: |
10 Nov 2011 20:10 |
Last Modified: |
15 Nov 2016 13:54 |
URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/10286 |
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