Educationally Disadvantaged Older Youth: Responsible Sexual Behavior

Programs for older youths address two behaviors related to health: contraceptive use, and alcohol and drug use. Risky sexual behaviors, such as not using contraception, expose sexually active youths to several negative consequences, including unintended pregnancies (Kirby, 2001) and sexually transmitted diseases (Piccinino & Mosher, 1998). Two studies measured contraceptive use. They found that the Skill-based Intervention on Condom Use had no impact on participants' contraceptive use and that participants in New Chance and youths in the control group showed no difference in contraceptive use at the 42-month follow-up (NC1).