School sexual health clinics could reduce teenage pregnancy rate
Published: 25 March 2009
Young people are more likely to use sexual health services if they can access them in schools, according to research being presented today at the Royal College of Nursing's 2009 International Research Conference in Cardiff.
Dr Debra Salmon, Reader in Community Health at the University of West England, will be presenting the evaluation of a pilot scheme which took place at 16 schools in the Neighbourhood Renewal Area of Bristol.
The nurse-led drop-in sexual health clinics proved popular with 'hard to reach' groups including boys and vulnerable young people who would not otherwise have received advice.
The evaluation reported high levels of satisfaction with the service and also found that young people are attending for information prior to their first sexual intercourse and were using the broad range of services provided, including contraception, STI testing and advice about relationships and delaying sex.
Commenting on the scheme, Dr Salmon said:
"61% of the young people we surveyed said they attended because it was at school and easy to access and that they would not have attended alternative provision. Providing convenient, accessible services is a great way of ensuring young people have access to the necessary sexual health advice. "
Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), said:
"The role school nurses can play in reducing the shocking rate of teenage pregnancy and in raising awareness about sexual health issues cannot be underestimated. This evaluation provides further tangible evidence of the immense value they offer. It is crucial that sufficient funding is allocated to increase the numbers of school nurses if we are to beat the rising numbers of STIs and teenage pregnancies."
The 2009 RCN International Nursing Research Conference is taking place in Cardiff from 24th - 27th March 2009.
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Notes to Editors
The Brook Sexual Health Outreach Service was funded by Neighbourhood Renewal in 2006-08 with the aim of reducing the impact of teenage pregnancy and sexual ill-health amongst young people within the Neighbourhood Renewal Areas in Bristol. The service was commissioned by Bristol Teenage Pregnancy Partnerships (BTPP) and managed by Brook Bristol. BTPP also commissioned the evaluation. The service was delivered in sixteen secondary school settings including three pupil referral units. All schools were in areas of high social deprivation based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation.
The evaluation sought to assess the implementation of the Brook Outreach School Drop-in Service and the consequences for young people living in areas of high deprivation. Key objectives were to identify the patterns, reasons and outcomes of young people's attendance and to explore young people's views of the service including any perceived barriers to access. Views of professionals working within the service were also sought to highlight their experiences of service development and their views on sustainability. The full report can be downloaded at http://hsc.uwe.ac.uk/net/research/Data/Sites/1/GalleryImages/Research/BrookSH%20Report_Bookprint2.pdf
Research methods included quantitative and qualitative designs. Methods and analysis drew on routine monitoring data from service attendances; comprehensive data on nurse consultations with 515 young people; 1826 youth work attendances; a survey of 222 young people highlighting user views and interviews with 44 young people focusing on reasons for non-attendance.
For further information, interviews with relevant case studies or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/news/mediacentre.php
Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.