Using policy codesign to achieve multi-sector alignment in adolescent behavioral health: a study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Policymaking is quickly gaining focus in the field of implementation science as a potential opportunity for aligning cross-sector systems and introducing incentives to promote population health, including substance use disorders (SUD) and their prevention in adolescents. Policymakers are seen as holding the necessary levers for realigning service infrastructure to more rapidly and effectively address adolescent behavioral health across the continuum of need (prevention through crisis care, mental health, and SUD) and in multiple locations (schools, primary care, community settings). The difficulty of aligning policy intent, policy design, and successful policy implementation is a well-known challenge in the broader public policy and public administration literature that also affects local behavioral health policymaking. This study will examine a blended approach of coproduction and codesign (i.e., Policy Codesign), iteratively developed over multiple years to address problems in policy formation that often lead to poor implementation outcomes. The current study evaluates this scalable approach using reproducible measures to grow the knowledge base in this field of study. METHODS: This is a single-arm, longitudinal, staggered implementation study to examine the acceptability and short-term impacts of Policy Codesign in resolving critical challenges in behavioral health policy formation. The aims are to (1) examine the acceptability, feasibility, and reach of Policy Codesign within two geographically distinct counties in Washington state, USA; (2) examine the impact of Policy Codesign on multisector policy development within these counties using social network analysis; and (3) assess the perceived replicability of Policy Codesign among leaders and other staff of policy-oriented state behavioral health intermediary organizations across the USA. DISCUSSION: This study will assess the feasibility of a specific approach to collaborative policy development, Policy Codesign, in two diverse regions. Results will inform a subsequent multi-state study measuring the impact and effectiveness of this approach for achieving multi-sector and evidence informed policy development in adolescent SUD prevention and treatment.

Low Pretreatment Bone Mineral Density in Gender Diverse Youth.

Gender diverse adolescents have low pretreatment bone mineral density (BMD), with variable changes in BMD after initiation of gender-affirming treatment. We aimed to assess factors associated with low BMD in gender diverse youth. Sixty-four patients were included in our analysis (73% assigned male at birth). Subtotal whole-body BMD Z-scores were low in 30% of patients, and total lumbar spine BMD Z-scores low in 14%. There was a positive association with body mass index, and no association with vitamin D level. Male sex assigned at birth was associated with lower pretreatment BMD, with lower average BMD Z-scores compared to previous studies.

A Mixed Methods Study on Healthcare Transition From Pediatric to Adult Care in Transgender and Gender-Diverse Adolescents and Young Adults.

PURPOSE: This study assessed healthcare transition (HCT) readiness and barriers to HCT among transgender and gender diverse (TGD) adolescent and young adults (AYA) using mixed-method techniques. METHODS: Fifty TGD AYA participants were surveyed using a validated transition readiness assessment questionnaire and open-ended questions examining challenges, influential factors, and health implications of HCT. Open-ended responses underwent qualitative analysis to identify consistent themes and response frequency. RESULTS: Participants felt most prepared for communicating with providers and completing medical forms and least prepared for navigating insurance/financial systems. Half of the participants anticipated worsening mental health during HCT, with additional concerns related to transfer logistics and transphobia/discrimination. Participants identified intrinsic skills and external factors (such as social relationships) that would contribute to a more successful HCT. DISCUSSION: TGD AYA face unique challenges in navigating the transition to adult health care, particularly related to concerns of discrimination and negative impacts on mental health, but these challenges may be mitigated by certain intrinsic resilience factors as well as targeted support from personal networks and pediatric providers.

Gender and Sexual Health-Related Knowledge Gaps and Educational Needs of Parents of Transgender and Non-Binary Youth.

Parents can have a substantial impact on adolescent sexual decision-making, but few studies have explored the role of parents in providing sexual health information to transgender and non-binary (TNB) youth, a population that experiences significant sexual and mental health disparities and lower levels of perceived family support compared with other youth. This study aimed to elucidate existing knowledge gaps and content deemed important for a sexual health curriculum and educational materials for parents of TNB youth. We conducted 21 qualitative interviews with five parents of TNB youth, 11 TNB youth aged 18+, and five healthcare affiliates to identify parents' educational needs. We analyzed the data using theoretical thematic analysis and consensus coding. Parents self-reported multiple knowledge deficits regarding gender/sexual health for TNB individuals and were primarily concerned with long-term impacts of medical interventions. Youth goals for parents included greater understanding of gender/sexuality and sufficient knowledge to support youth through social transition to their affirmed gender identity. Content areas suggested for a future curriculum for parents of TNB youth included: basics of gender/sexuality, diverse narratives of TNB experiences/identities, gender dysphoria, non-medical gender-affirming interventions, medical gender-affirming interventions, and resources for peer support. Parents desired access to accurate information and wanted to feel equipped to facilitate affirming conversations with their child, something that could combat health disparities among TNB youth. An educational curriculum for parents has the potential to provide a trusted information source, expose parents to positive representations of TNB individuals, and help parents support their TNB child through decisions about potential gender-affirming interventions.

Understanding the Complex Relationship Between One's Body, Eating, Exercise, and Gender-Affirming Medical Care Among Transgender and Nonbinary Adolescents and Young Adults.

Purpose: Gender dysphoria has been linked to body dissatisfaction, which can affect an individual's eating and exercise habits and increase their risk for disordered eating. The prevalence of eating disorders among transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) adolescents and young adults (AYA) ranges from 5% to 18% and studies have found a higher risk of disordered eating among these AYA in comparison to their cisgender peers. However, there is minimal research on why TGNB AYA are at higher risk. The aim of this study is to understand unique factors that define a TGNB AYA's relationship between their body and food, how this relationship may be affected by gender-affirming medical care, and how these relationships may contribute to disordered eating. Methods: A total of 23 TGNB AYA were recruited from a multidisciplinary gender-affirming clinic to participate in semistructured interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's theory of thematic analysis (2006). Results: The average age of participants was 16.9 years. Forty-four percent of participants identified as having a transfeminine gender identity, 39% transmasculine, and 17% nonbinary/gender fluid. Five themes emerged regarding TGNB participants' relationship to food and exercise: gender dysphoria and control over one's body, societal expectations of gender, mental health and safety concerns, emotional and physical changes with gender-affirming medical care, and recommended resources for TGNB AYA. Conclusion: By understanding these unique factors, clinicians can provide targeted and sensitive care when screening and managing disordered eating among TGNB AYA.

A Longitudinal Study on Disordered Eating in Transgender and Nonbinary Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: We longitudinally explored frequency of disordered eating among transgender and nonbinary (TGNB) adolescents and explored trends by gender identity and gender-affirming care. METHODS: Participants completed an abbreviated version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months after establishing care in a gender clinic. We analyzed descriptive statistics and multivariate linear regression analyses. RESULTS: Of the 91 TGNB adolescent participants, 61% were transmasculine, 30% transfeminine, and 7% nonbinary/gender-fluid. Among TGNB adolescents, disordered eating thoughts/behaviors were frequently endorsed with 26% of participants engaging in any occurrence of binge eating, 27% limiting the amount of food they ate, and 30% excluding foods from their diet. Forty percent of participants reported any occurrence of at least 1 disordered eating behavior and 17% at least 3 behaviors. Abbreviated EDE-Q responses did not differ significantly by sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender-affirming medications, or time spent receiving gender-affirming care. There was a significant effect of age (P value = .003) on abbreviated EDE-Q scores. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant changes in disordered eating after initiating gender-affirming medical care, possibly due to the limited study time frame of 12 months. Given the high prevalence of disordered eating behaviors, clinicians should consider screening all TGNB adolescents for disordered eating thoughts/behaviors throughout gender-affirming care. Future longitudinal research should recruit larger samples with a diverse range of gender identities and survey disordered eating thoughts/behaviors at least one year after starting gender-affirming medications.

Methodological Strategies for Prospective Harmonization of Studies: Application to 10 Distinct Outcomes Studies of Preventive Interventions Targeting Opioid Misuse.

The Helping to End Addiction Long-Term (HEAL) Prevention Cooperative (HPC) is rapidly developing 10 distinct evidence-based interventions for implementation in a variety of settings to prevent opioid misuse and opioid use disorder. One HPC objective is to compare intervention impacts on opioid misuse initiation, escalation, severity, and disorder and identify whether any HPC interventions are more effective than others for types of individuals. It provides a rare opportunity to prospectively harmonize measures across distinct outcomes studies. This paper describes the needs, opportunities, strategies, and processes that were used to harmonize HPC data. They are illustrated with a strategy to measure opioid use that spans the spectrum of opioid use experiences (termed involvement) and is composed of common "anchor items" ranging from initiation to symptoms of opioid use disorder. The limitations and opportunities anticipated from this approach to data harmonization are reviewed. Lastly, implications for future research cooperatives and the broader HEAL data ecosystem are discussed.

A Case Series on Disordered Eating Among Transgender Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Transgender youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may experience complex relationships with eating because of cognitive rigidity, including inflexible thoughts and behaviors around food and/or their body. Yet, there is no research that provides guidance to clinicians providing care for youth with the unique triad of gender dysphoria, ASD, and disordered eating. This case series discusses trends in presentation and management of three cases from a multidisciplinary gender care clinic. All three individuals endorsed rigid thoughts around food and/or body appearance, which affected nutritional intake; however, their presenting eating disorder behaviors, described etiology for disordered thoughts, diagnosis, and level of engagement in a multidisciplinary treatment model varied. Based on these cases we hypothesize several strategies including early engagement with ASD specialists, proactive screening and discussions around eating with all transgender youth with suspected/confirmed ASD, continued discussions throughout care, as disordered eating behaviors may change after the initiation of gender-affirming medications, dietician visits early in treatment regardless of endorsed thoughts and behaviors, tailored management to the unique needs of each individual and their eating thoughts/behaviors, and consistent multidisciplinary collaboration.

Gender Diverse Youth on Fertility and Future Family: A Qualitative Analysis.

PURPOSE: Gender-affirming treatment for transgender and nonbinary adolescents has been shown to decrease anxiety, depression, and suicidality, but treatments have medical consequences. Specifically, hormone replacement and pubertal blocking may impact patients' fertility and childbearing capabilities. We interviewed gender diverse adolescents regarding their thoughts on family and fertility. METHODS: We completed semistructured interviews with 23 gender diverse adolescents recruited from the Seattle Children's Gender Clinic. Interviewees included transfeminine, transmasculine, and nonbinary youth. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke's theory of thematic analysis, a flexible framework for qualitative analysis. RESULTS: Gender diverse adolescents have myriad views on fertility, but four main themes were identified: (1) an interest in future family, including ideas regarding adoption and biological children; (2) barriers to fertility, including cost and procedure-related dysphoria; (3) factors unique to the developmental stage of adolescents, including the age discordance of making fertility decisions as a teenager and parental influence on decision-making; and (4) suggestions for clinicians approaching fertility counseling with adolescents considering hormone therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Many gender diverse youth asserted an interest in building families, although the process of fertility preservation remains fraught. Relative to other studies, our participants were hopeful, imaginative, and interested in having children. Participants wanted to receive specific counseling on fertility, to receive help navigating the logistics of fertility preservation, and to be listened to when their hopes for children (or no children) were stated. Further research is needed to create care paradigms that address fertility of transgender youth in an affirming, developmentally appropriate manner.

Development and two-phased pilot RCT of a foster/kinship caregiver intervention to improve sexual health communication with youth.

PURPOSE: Foster youth have high rates of unintended teen pregnancies and other negative sexual health outcomes. Foster and kinship caregivers (FKC) are an untapped resource to reduce risks. We conducted a two-phase pilot study to evaluate feasibility, acceptability and assess preliminary efficacy of a training designed to improve caregiver communication, monitoring and conflict behaviors and improve sexual health outcomes for youth in foster care. Our study included a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) component. METHOD: Phase 1: We recruited 49 FKC and assessed feasibility quantitatively, and acceptability both qualitatively and quantitatively of our intervention (Heart to Heart). Phase 2: We conducted an RCT with 71 participants and evaluated caregiver communication, monitoring, and conflict behaviors as well as the psychological determinants thereof in intervention and control groups at 1, 3, and 6 months. RESULTS: Phase 1: Facilitators delivered all intervention content; >90% participants received the entire training. The intervention was highly acceptable (mean score 4.9/5 on two questions). Phase 2: 71 participants were eligible and completed baseline (68 completed at least one follow up survey). We found significant improvements in the intervention group in knowledge, communication expectations, and caregiver-youth conflict behaviors in one or more waves; the control group demonstrated no significant improvements. When groups were compared, we found significant differences in knowledge, communication frequency, and conflict behaviors at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Heart to Heart is feasible, acceptable, and preliminary outcomes data is promising. More research is needed to better establish evidence of efficacy for long-term behavior change in caregivers and youth. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFER: NCT03331016.

How Are Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Youth Affected by the News? A Qualitative Study.

PURPOSE: News stories about transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people have become more common in recent years and TGNC youth may be disparately affected by this information compared with their cisgender peers. The aim of this study was to understand how TGNC youth react to news stories about TGNC and other gender and sexual minority (GSM) identifying persons. METHODS: As part of a larger study, 23 TGNC youth were recruited from the Seattle Children's Gender Clinic to participate in a semistructured interview. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Participating youth ranged in age from 13 to 19 years (mean = 16.9 years). Of the 23 participants, 43% identified as having a transfeminine gender identity, 39% transmasculine, and 17% nonbinary/gender fluid. Four main themes were identified: (1) news coverage of current political climate affects gender transition; (2) negative news coverage of GSM people contributes to concerns about mental well-being and safety; (3) geographical location affects perception of news; and (4) positive news coverage of TGNC people increases visibility and hope. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to negative news about GSM people may contribute to increased levels of stress among TGNC youth. With increased visibility, participants described frustration associated with inaccurate portrayals of the TGNC community in the news; however, with increased visibility, there is also a growing sense of shared community and opportunity for acceptance of TGNC people. Given the scope of responses to negative and positive news on GSM people, TGNC youth may benefit from increased support to promote resilience when interpreting the news.

Sex Education for Transgender and Non-Binary Youth: Previous Experiences and Recommended Content.

BACKGROUND: Transgender and non-binary (TNB) youth face disparities in sexual health risks compared with cisgender peers. Comprehensive sex education programs have the potential to result in delayed sexual debut, increased condom and contraceptive use, and reduced sexual risk-taking; however, little research has explored the specific sex education needs of TNB youth. AIM: To use insights from TNB youth, parents of TNB youth, and healthcare affiliates to understand deficits in sex education experienced by TNB youth, and to elicit recommended content for a comprehensive and trans-inclusive sex education curriculum. METHODS: We conducted 21 in-depth interviews with non-minor TNB youth (n = 11) and with parents (n = 5) and healthcare affiliates (n = 5) of TNB youth recruited from Seattle Children's Gender Clinic and local TNB community listerv readerships. Data was analyzed using theoretical thematic analysis. OUTCOMES: Participants described prior sex education experiences and content needs of TNB youth. RESULTS: Participants described 5 key sources where TNB youth received sexual health information: school curricula, medical practitioners, peers, romantic partners, and online media. Inapplicability of school curricula and variable interactions with medical practitioners led youth to favor the latter sources. 8 content areas were recommended as important in sex education for TNB youth: puberty-related gender dysphoria, non-medical gender-affirming interventions, medical gender-affirming interventions, consent and relationships, sex and desire, sexually transmitted infection prevention, fertility and contraception, and healthcare access. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Dependence on potentially inaccurate sex education sources leaves TNB youth vulnerable to negative outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, unsanitary/unsafe sex toy use, and shame about their body or sexual desires. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: Strengths included capturing perspectives of an underserved population using open-ended interview questions, which allowed topics of greatest importance to participants to arise organically. Limitations included a sample size of 21 participants, and racial and geographic homogeneity of youth and parent participants. Only 1 author identifies as TNB. One-on-one interview methods may have omitted participants who would otherwise have been willing to share their perspective in a more impersonal format. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that TNB youth have unique sex education needs that are not well covered in most sexual health curricula. Recommended content for this population includes standard sex education topics that require trans-inclusive framing (eg, contraception), topics specific to TNB youth (eg, gender-affirming medical interventions), and topics absent from standard curricula that warrant universal teaching (eg, information on consent as it relates to sex acts aside from penile-vaginal sex). Haley SG, Tordoff DM, Kantor AZ, et al. Sex Education for Transgender and Non-Binary Youth: Previous Experiences and Recommended Content. J Sex Med 2019;16:1834-1848.

Predictors of Failure to Reach Viral Suppression Within 1 Year After Human Immunodeficiency Virus Diagnosis: A Surveillance-Based Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Identifying factors associated with poor human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care continuum outcomes in the first year after HIV diagnosis could guide care engagement efforts at the time of diagnosis. METHODS: We analyzed data from newly diagnosed persons living with HIV (PLWH) who received a partner services (PS) interview in King County, WA from January 1, 2013, to June 30, 2016. The outcome measure was failure to reach viral suppression, defined as the lack of an HIV RNA result <200 copies/mL reported to surveillance within one year after diagnosis. We constructed Kaplan-Meier curves of time to viral suppression and examined associations between viral suppression and demographic characteristics, substance use, housing status, and plan for HIV care. RESULTS: Among 549 individuals, 69 (13%) did not achieve viral suppression within 1 year. Failure to reach suppression was associated with having no plan for HIV care at the time of PS interview (n = 72; 13% of the total population; RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.04-1.36] and unstable housing (n = 81; 15% of the total population; [RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.05-1.35). Among persons with one of these two risk factors, 76% achieved viral suppression, compared with 91% of those with stable housing and a plan for care. Overall, 80% of persons who ultimately reached suppression did so by 7.3 months. CONCLUSIONS: Providing early support services to PLWH who have unstable housing or no plan for care at the time of HIV partner services interview and to those who do not reach viral suppression shortly after diagnosis could improve the HIV care continuum.

Youth and Parent Experiences in a Multidisciplinary Gender Clinic.

Purpose: To assess youth and parent/caregiver satisfaction with care at a pediatric multidisciplinary gender clinic. Methods: Transgender/gender nonconforming youth (n=33) and their parent/caregiver (n=29) completed self-report questionnaires and individual interviews (n=20) about experiences and satisfaction with care. Results: Quantitatively, participants reported being extremely satisfied with care experiences (parents 97%; youth 94%). Qualitatively, main themes included (1) affirmation due to use of preferred name/pronouns, (2) access barriers due to scheduling and readiness assessments, and (3) positive interactions with Care Navigator. Conclusion: Youth and parents/caregivers are highly satisfied with multidisciplinary, coordinated health care for transgender/gender nonconforming youth; however, some challenges remain.

Adverse Childhood Experiences and Young Adult Health Outcomes Among Youth Aging Out of Foster Care.

OBJECTIVE: Former youth in foster care (YFC) are at greater risk of chronic health conditions than their peers. Although research in general population samples has shown a dose-response relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and adult health outcomes, few studies have conducted similar analyses in highly stress-exposed populations such as YFC. In this study we used person-centered latent class analysis methods to examine the relationship between different profiles of ACE exposures and divergent health trajectories among this high-risk population. METHODS: Data are from longitudinal research that followed transition-age YFC from age 17 to 26 (N = 732). Using 3 subgroups previously identified by their ACEs histories-complex, environmental, and lower adversity groups-we applied group mean statistics to test for differences between the groups for physical and sexual health outcomes in young adulthood. RESULTS: In contrast to previous research that showed that the environmental group was at the highest risk of criminalbehavior outcomes, for most of the physical and sexual health risk outcomes evaluated in this study, the complex adversity group had the highest risk. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that there are subgroups of YFC, which each have a distinct profile of risk in young adulthood, with the complex group being at highest risk of the physical and sexual health risk outcomes evaluated. Findings strongly suggest the need for targeted strategies to promote screening for ACEs and chronic health conditions, linkage to adult health care, and continuity of care for adolescents and young adults in foster care to offset these trajectories.

ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AMONG YOUTH AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE: A LATENT CLASS ANALYSIS.

Research has demonstrated that youth who age out, or emancipate, from foster care face deleterious outcomes across a variety of domains in early adulthood. This article builds on this knowledge base by investigating the role of adverse childhood experience accumulation and composition on these outcomes. A latent class analysis was performed to identify three subgroups: Complex Adversity, Environmental Adversity, and Lower Adversity. Differences are found amongst the classes in terms of young adult outcomes in terms of socio-economic outcomes, psychosocial problems, and criminal behaviors. The results indicate that not only does the accumulation of adversity matter, but so does the composition of the adversity. These results have implications for policymakers, the numerous service providers and systems that interact with foster youth, and for future research.

Knowledge and Acceptability of Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Among Adolescent Women Receiving School-Based Primary Care Services.

BACKGROUND: A key strategy to reduce unintended adolescent pregnancies is to expand access to long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods, including intrauterine devices and subdermal contraceptive implants. LARC services can be provided to adolescents in school-based health and other primary care settings, yet limited knowledge and negative attitudes about LARC methods may influence adolescents' utilization of these methods. This study aimed to evaluate correlates of knowledge and acceptability of LARC methods among adolescent women at a school-based health center (SBHC). METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, female patients receiving care at 2 SBHCs in Seattle, Washington completed an electronic survey about sexual and reproductive health. Primary outcomes were (1) LARC knowledge as measured by percentage correct of 10 true-false questions and (2) LARC acceptability as measured by participants reporting either liking the idea of having an intrauterine device (IUD)/subdermal implant or currently using one. RESULTS: A total of 102 students diverse in race/ethnicity and socioeconomic backgrounds completed the survey (mean age 16.2 years, range 14.4-19.1 years). Approximately half reported a lifetime history of vaginal sex. Greater LARC knowledge was associated with white race (regression coefficient [coef] = 26.8; 95% CI 13.3-40.4; P < .001), history of vaginal intercourse (coef = 29.9; 95% CI 17.1-42.7; P < .001), and current/prior LARC use (coef = 22.8; 95% CI 6.5-40.0; P = .007). Older age was associated with lower IUD acceptability (odds ratio = 0.53, 95% CI 0.30-0.94; P = .029) while history of intercourse was associated with greater implant acceptability (odds ratio 5.66, 95% CI 1.46-22.0; P = .012). DISCUSSION: Adolescent women in this SBHC setting had variable knowledge and acceptability of LARC. A history of vaginal intercourse was the strongest predictor of LARC acceptability. Our findings suggest a need for LARC counseling and education strategies, particularly for young women from diverse cultural backgrounds and those with less sexual experience.

Qualitative Evaluation of Historical and Relational Factors Influencing Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infection Risks in Foster Youth.

PURPOSE: To explore how attitudes, norms, behaviors, responses to early life experiences, and protective factors influence pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection risks from the perspectives of current and former foster youth to inform the development of prevention strategies. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured individual qualitative interviews with a diverse sample of 22 current/former foster youth aged 15-21 years (63% female; average age = 18.6 years). We then used Theoretical Thematic Analysis to systematically analyze the data for key themes related to sexual health in four categories: 1) norms and attitudes, 2) responses to early life experiences, 3) protective factors, and 4) youth-driven intervention ideas. RESULTS: Participants reported a range of sexual experience levels, varied sexual orientations, and also reported varied life experiences prior to and during foster care. We detected several norms and attitudes that likely contribute to risks of early pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. These included that one can tell by looking whether a partner is trustworthy or has a sexually transmitted infection, that condoms aren't necessary with long-term or infrequent partners or if birth control is used, and that teen pregnancy is an inevitable event. With respect to responses to early life experiences, youth frequently described difficulties dealing with strong emotions in the context of romantic and/or sexual relationships; many attributed these difficulties to early experiences with biological family members or in foster care. Participants linked emotion regulation difficulties with struggles in trust appraisal, effective communication, and impulsive behaviors. Youth also described a variety of protective factors that they felt helped them prevent sexual risk behaviors or improved their lives in other respects. Finally, participants endorsed factors likely to improve intervention acceptability and efficacy, including an open, non-judgmental group-based environment, involvement of peer mentors, and inclusion of caregiver and caseworker training components. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma-informed, tailored intervention strategies which address key norms and attitudes and provide broad-based assertiveness and emotion regulation skills are likely to be the most effective strategies to reduce risks of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections among teens in foster care. Group-based interventions that involve peer mentors and caregiver and caseworker components may be especially acceptable and effective for teens in foster and/or kinship care.

A Qualitative Study of Factors That Influence Contraceptive Choice among Adolescent School-Based Health Center Patients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Long-acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods can prevent teen pregnancy yet remain underutilized by adolescents in the United States. Pediatric providers are well positioned to discuss LARCs with adolescents, but little is known about how counseling should occur in pediatric primary care settings. We explored adolescent womens' attitudes and experiences with LARCs to inform the development of adolescent-centered LARC counseling strategies. DESIGN: Qualitative analysis of one-on-one interviews. SETTING: Participants were recruited from 2 urban school-based, primary care centers. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty adolescent women aged 14-18 years, diverse in race/ethnicity, and sexual experience. INTERVENTIONS: Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded using inductive and deductive coding. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Major themes were identified to integrate LARC-specific adolescent preferences into existing counseling approaches. RESULTS: Participants (mean age, 16.2 years; range, 14-18 years) represented a diverse range of racial and/or ethnic identities. Half (15/30) were sexually active and 17% (5/30) reported current or past LARC use. Five themes emerged regarding key factors that influence LARC choice, including: (1) strong preferences about device-specific characteristics; (2) previous exposure to information about LARCs from peers, family members, or health counseling sessions; (3) knowledge gaps about LARC methods that affect informed decision-making; (4) personal circumstances or experiences that motivate a desire for effective and/or long-acting contraception; and (5) environmental constraints and supports that might influence adolescent access to LARCs. CONCLUSION: We identified 5 factors that influence LARC choice among adolescent women and propose a framework for incorporating these factors into contraceptive counseling services in pediatric primary care settings.

Health outcomes in young adults from foster care and economically diverse backgrounds.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Foster youth have high rates of health problems in childhood. Little work has been done to determine whether they are similarly vulnerable to increased health problems once they transition to adulthood. We sought to prospectively evaluate the risk of cardiovascular risk factors and other chronic conditions among young adults formerly in foster care (FC) and young adults from economically insecure (EI) and economically secure (ES) backgrounds in the general population. METHODS: We used data from the Midwest Evaluation of the Adult Functioning of Former Foster Youth (FC group; N = 596) and an age-matched sample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (EI and ES groups; N = 456 and 1461, respectively). After controlling for covariates, we performed multivariate regressions to evaluate health outcomes and care access by group at 2 time points (baseline at late adolescence, follow-up at 25-26 years). RESULTS: Data revealed a consistent pattern of graduated increase in odds of most health outcomes, progressing from ES to EI to FC groups. Health care access indicators were more variable; the FC group was most likely to report having Medicaid or no insurance but was least likely to report not getting needed care in the past year. CONCLUSIONS: Former foster youth appear to have a higher risk of multiple chronic health conditions, beyond that which is associated with economic insecurity. Findings may be relevant to policymakers and practitioners considering the implementation of extended insurance and foster care programs and interventions to reduce health disparities in young adulthood.