HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS & ORGANIZATIONS Health care providers are in a unique position to impact teen pregnancy prevention, from providing and advocating for greater access to preventive health care services to changing policies to promote access to medically-accurate information in school settings.
WHAT WE KNOW WORKS
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends reducing health disparities across a number of health indicators by expanding access to Medicaid or other health insurance for children and families. Texas is one of just 12 states that has not accepted Medicaid Expansion dollars. Additional measures that can be taken by health care education and clinical provider organizations include: Deliberately creating teen-friendly clinic environments » Expanding access to clinics by adjusting hours, increasing locations and access by available transportation » Training providers that provide education to youth and work with caregivers of children and teens to maximize care » Supporting parents and caregivers as the primary sexuality educators of their children, assisting them as they learn to communicate their family’s values to their teen(s) » Training health care professionals to become active listeners when teens have questions, and know how to refer them to local resources for education, and mental health care » Understanding racial history with reproductive health care » Learning to provide anti-racist health care » Being culturally and historically responsive
WHERE WE ARE
Health care providers are on the front lines of the teen pregnancy crisis in Dallas. When surveyed for Ntarupt’s needs assessment completed by the Texas Woman’s University, health care providers acknowledged the role of other community resources and wanted to see better education, better healthy relationship information and support, better parental support, and better sex education for youth. Addressing clinical resources, 78% cited a lack of contraceptive use as the greatest risk for unintended pregnancy, while 88% cited a lack of education about contraceptive use as the greatest risk for unintended pregnancy. Many (60%) felt that a lack of career/education goals put teens at greatest risk for unintended pregnancy. A lack of parents and other caregiver support was cited for keeping health care service and education providers from reaching youth. Providers also frequently cited the lack of public transportation options in Dallas as a barrier to accessing health care services.
“Transportation is always a barrier, when the resources are available. So, for example, you know you have kids who unfortunately are also working adults to a degree or have activities that they’re doing and that sort of thing. So, when (transportation is not) available to them can be a barrier.” –Health Care Provider, Ntarupt Community Readiness Assessment, 2019
22 • ntarupt.org
