Morehouse Family Health Study
Through the Morehouse Family Health Study, Child Trends is evaluating Parent Toolkit 2.0, a family health toolkit designed to help parents and caregivers improve their knowledge and communication about adolescent health. By equipping parents and caregivers with essential skills and information, the toolkit aims to enhance teen decision making, reduce risky sexual behaviors, and improve overall adolescent health outcomes—addressing an unmet need in adolescent sexual health programming.
Parent Toolkit 2.0—originally developed by the Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power and Potential and adapted by Morehouse School of Medicine—is a three-week program that incorporates an online, self-paced parent guide; videos modeling parent-teen communication around sex and contraception; and two group-based sessions for parents to discuss program content and improve communication skills. This five-year project (2023-2028) is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Background and Intended Impacts
Historically, rural communities in the South have experienced unequal access to culturally responsive, comprehensive sexual education and health care resources, leading to higher rates of risky sexual behaviors and teen pregnancies compared to other geographical regions. This is particularly relevant in Georgia, where teen births in rural communities are twice as high as in non-rural communities.
Furthermore, there are differences by race/ethnicity, with African American youth in rural communities reporting higher teen birth and sexually transmitted infection (STI) rates than White rural youth. It will be critical to address the needs of youth in these communities to reduce health disparities and promote better sexual health outcomes for all adolescents.
Geographical Differences in Teen Birth Rates (per 1,000 adolescent girls ages 15-19) Within Georgia (2023)
Previous studies have illustrated the pivotal role of communication between parents and their children in promoting positive adolescent sexual health, yet there are limited evidence-based family programs specific to African American rural communities. By rigorously evaluating Parent Toolkit 2.0, our study aims to measure the impacts of a tailored program to improve parent and caregiver knowledge and communication about adolescent health on health outcomes for youth in marginalized and rural communities.
Research Approach
To evaluate Parent Toolkit 2.0, we are conducting a randomized control trial looking at individual-level data in select rural communities across Georgia. In partnership with Morehouse School of Medicine, Tressa Tucker & Associates, and Good Deeds Ministry, we are enrolling 1,000 pairs (or dyads) of parents/caregivers and their 12- to 15-year-old teens to assess the impact of the three-week program on adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes.
Our evaluation uses surveys, focus groups, and program observations to provide a comprehensive understanding of the intervention’s impact. Our culturally responsive approach to the evaluation prioritizes and incorporates the cultural and social norms of our target population to inform how we design, recruit, and talk about the study. Throughout the course of the project, we will also actively engage with Georgia-based partners, parents, and teens to refine the study to appropriately reflect their experiences.
Timeline
- May-July 2024: Pilot the study.
- October 2024: Start full impact evaluation, with ongoing recruitment and enrollment until January 2027.
- February 2027-August 2028: Analysis and final reporting.
If you are interested in learning more about the study, email our team at: morehousefamilystudy@childtrends.org.
Learnings
- In July 2024, our team presented at the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Conference in Baltimore, MD. Our session—Ask, Listen and Refine—included a panel discussion of lessons learned during the project’s pilot phase and described how we are prioritizing cultural responsiveness at each step. Presentation slides are available upon request.
Project Team
Child Trends
Morehouse School of Medicine
- Mary Langley, PhD (project manager)
- Diona Dallas
- Chaise Jones
Good Deeds Ministry (recruitment lead)
- Vincent Dortch, ThD
- Vickie Liggins
Tressa Tucker & Associates (local evaluation support)
- Tressa Tucker, PhD
- Chinwe Ejikeme, PhD
- Sadia Sleweon
This five-year project (2023-2028) is supported by the Office of Population Affairs (OPA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $5 million with 100 percent funded by OPA/OASH/HHS. The contents of this webpage are solely the responsibility of Child Trends and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, OPA/OASH/HHS or the U.S. government.
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