Bright Spot: Reducing the Risk
Photo by Jake Dela Concepcion on Unsplash
This bright spot was originally published in the 100 Million Healthier Lives Change Library and is brought to you through partnership with 100 Million Healthier Lives and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
Overview
Detailed Description
The Reducing the Risk (RTR) curriculum helps teens understand the personal responsibilities and consequences of sexual activity and develop and practice the decision-making, negotiating, and refusal skills needed to resist social pressures regarding sexual behavior. In addition, the program aims to strengthen parent-child communication about issues related to sexuality and sexual activity.
Expected Outcomes
The goal of this program is to encourage youth to avoid unprotected sex by practicing abstinence or using contraception.
Cost Details
As of July 2014, the cost of this intervention is as follows: $246.99 for Reducing the Risk Basic Set.
For the latest cost details, please contact the RTR program directly.
Key Steps for Implementation
The RTR curriculum is intended to supplement preexisting sexual education programming, and it is typically presented by specially trained school-system teachers over a three-week period as part of a family life or a general health education program. RTR is implemented by regular classroom teachers who have attended a one- to four-day training session. Classes should be taught 23 times per week. The classes should be taught so that most youth attend most classes. All 16 classes should be taught. All classes should be taught in sequence. Classes should last at least 45 minutes. The ideal class size is between 10 and 30 youth. Educators for the Reducing the Risk curriculum should be familiar with the Reducing the Risk content, comfortable discussing the material, and experienced in teaching a skills-based program. If the curriculum is implemented in a school setting, appropriate approval should be obtained from the school and parents. If implemented in a non-school setting, appropriate approval should be obtained from the host organization and parents, and steps necessary to successfully recruit youth should be implemented. The educators should be adequately trained and experienced in order to teach the content, to implement the interactive activities.
- Reducing the Risk curriculum packet
- Supplementary activity kit
Training
The training focuses on giving teachers an overview of the curriculum and an opportunity to practice the activities that will be utilized in implementing the program, including traditional lectures, discussion, role-playing, and out-of-class assignments.
Types of Staff
RTR is implemented by regular classroom teachers who have attended a one- to four-day training session.
Outcome Measures
- Increased parent-child communication about abstinence and contraception
- Delayed initiation of sexual intercourse
- Reduced incidence of unprotected sex among lower risk youth
- Increased use of contraception
Process Measures
- Number of students who attended each class
- Percentage of students who attended each class
- Completion of curriculum activities
- Fidelity to sessions and their components