MOBILE-izing Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care: A Pilot Study Using a Mobile Health Unit in Chicago

Mobile programs in family planning

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Mobile health outreach programs are an alternative way to provide family planning services for rural populations or populations affected by conflict, outbreaks, or humanitarian crises. Here, we review the current literature about mobile health outreach programs in family planning.

RECENT FINDINGS

Mobile health outreach programs are effective in delivering family planning services by increasing access to family planning services including expanding method choice, contributing to resilient healthcare models, and advancing reproductive justice.Mobile health outreach programs may be a reasonable, cost saving, person-centered alternative to delivering healthcare particularly when traditional systems are strained.

SUMMARY

Mobile health outreach programs in family planning exist in the United States and globally. Current literature suggests that mobile and outreach programs are effective in increasing knowledge and access to family planning in part by expanding method choice. A mobile health outreach approach is a resilient model that is person-centered and lends itself well to empower patients to practice self-care. The findings and lessons learned may be helpful in guiding future mobile health outreach programs in family planning and other services conducive to an out of clinic model, particularly as a response to overburdened health systems.

A structural equation modeling of reproductive health promoting behaviors among female adolescents in the Philippines

AIMS

Integrated reproductive health promoting behaviors, including safe sexual intercourse, preventing sexually transmitted diseases, sexual responsibility, and genital health management, are essential for adolescents in developing countries. The Philippines is currently facing several reproductive health threats. The aim of this study was to identify factors affecting reproductive health promoting behaviors based on a theoretical model using structural equation modeling.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study and a structural equation modeling, a total of 227 female adolescents in the Philippines participated in a self-reported questionnaire survey.

RESULTS

The results indicated that reproductive health knowledge (β = .14, p = .033), attitudes regarding reproductive health behaviors (β = .31, p = .027), and reproductive health self-efficacy (β = .31, p = .002) influenced participants' reproductive health promoting behaviors. Social norms (β = .31, p = .021) influenced reproductive health self-efficacy and indirectly influenced reproductive health promoting behaviors. Attitude toward gender roles (β = .20, p = .020) was associated with reproductive health knowledge.

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed the direct effect of reproductive health knowledge, attitudes regarding reproductive behaviors, and reproductive health self-efficacy, as well as the indirect effect of social norms, on reproductive health promoting behaviors using structural equation modeling.