Increasing adolescent girls' ability to identify STI-risk characteristics of sexual partners: a pilot study within an alternative disciplinary school.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the feasibility of conducting a 9-week long sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention intervention, Angels in Action, within an alternative disciplinary school for adolescent girls. METHODS: All girls who were 16-18 years old, enrolled in the school and did not have plans to transfer from the school were eligible to participate. We measured process feasibility with recruitment, retention and participant enjoyment. Using a pretest-post-test design with a double post-test, we used χ² tests to estimate the intervention effect on participants' sexual partner risk knowledge, intentions to reduce partner risk and sexual activities in the past 60 days with three behavioural surveys: prior to, immediately following and 3 months after the intervention. RESULTS: Among the 20 girls who were eligible, 95% (19/20) of parents consented and all girls (19/19) agreed to participate. Survey participation was 100% (19/19) prior to, 76% (13/17) immediately following and 53% (9/17) 3 months after the intervention. The intervention was administered twice and a total 17 girls participated. Session attendance was high (89%) and most participants (80%) reported enjoying the intervention. The intervention increased the percentage of girls who could identify partner characteristics associated with increased STI risk: 38% before, 92% immediately following and 100% 3 months after the intervention (p=0.01). Girls also increased their intentions to find out four of the most highly associated partner characteristics (partner's age, recent sexual activity and STI or jail history): 32% before to 75% immediately following (p=0.02) and 67% 3 months after the intervention (p=0.09). CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests girls at alternative disciplinary schools participated in and enjoyed a 9-week STI preventive intervention. Within alternative disciplinary schools, it is potentially feasible to increase girls' consideration of partner risk characteristics as a means to enhance their STI prevention skills.

Using a Clinical Workflow Analysis to Enhance eHealth Implementation Planning: Tutorial and Case Study.

eHealth apps often fail to improve clinical outcomes due to poor integration with clinical workflow-the sequence and personnel needed to undertake a series of tasks for clinical care. Our central thesis is that eHealth interventions will be more effective if the clinical workflow is studied and taken into consideration for intervention implementation. This paper aims to provide an introductory tutorial on when and how to use a clinical workflow analysis to guide the implementation of eHealth interventions. The tutorial includes a step-by-step guide to conducting a clinical workflow analysis in planning for eHealth implementation. We began with a description of why a clinical workflow analysis is best completed before the implementation of eHealth interventions. Next, we described 4 steps needed to perform the clinical workflow analysis: the identification of discrete workflow components, workflow assessment, triangulation, and the stakeholder proposal of intervention implementation. Finally, we presented a case study of a clinical workflow analysis, which was conducted during patient visits of patients aged 11 or 12 years from 4 diverse pediatric or family medicine clinics to plan the implementation of a tablet-based app for adolescent vaccination. Investigators planning the implementation of new eHealth interventions in health care settings can use the presented steps to assess clinical workflow, thereby maximizing the match of their intervention with the clinical workflow. Conducting a prospective workflow study allows for evidence-based planning, identifying potential pitfalls, and increasing stakeholder buy-in and engagement. This tutorial should aid investigators in increasing the successful implementation of eHealth interventions.