Young Women's Health Initiative

A reflective conversation amongst the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center obstetrics and gynecology team regarding the misinformation we believed as young women resulted in a program focused on young women. The program was designed to provide young women with accurate information on their health and well-being. Equipped with this information, we believe that young women would be poised to make better decisions for their future.

We discussed community engagement and outreach to target schools in the surrounding Jamaica Hospital Medical Center community. In the midst of the pandemic, when educational systems moved toward virtual and electronic platforms, the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center obstetrics and gynecology team established a virtual program to promote the health and wellness of young women in middle and high schools. To accomplish these objectives, the Jamaica Hospital Medical Center obstetrics and gynecology team created seven modules that cover the following topics: Module 1-an informational session that addresses female hygiene and other health-related topics for young women and girls. This session allowed the team to assess the knowledge of our cohort. Module 2-a tutorial on the anatomy of the female body to empower young women and girls to understand how their bodies work. Modules 3 and 4-two sessions focused on puberty and the associated changes young women and girls should expect. Module 5-a session focused on sexually transmitted infections and their long-term effects, both physically and emotionally. Module 6-a session focused on physical and mental health wellness (including topics that resonate with our cohort such as body image and eating disorders). Module 7-a session focused on breast health, specifically gauged to the needs of our cohort.Each module required a commitment of at least 60 minutes, and, in some instances, a module had to be split into two sessions to ensure that the subject matter of that module was sufficiently covered. These modules were collaboratively developed from feedback provided by obstetricians in the community and educators at our target schools. The modules included interactive elements such as Poll Everywhere, videos, and diagrams that facilitated thoughtful and academic discussions.

We successfully implemented this pilot program in two classes (one middle school class and one high school class), with the curriculum adjusted to cater to its audience. We received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both the students and their educator liaisons.

We recognize that this program is an important engagement tool to be shared with other communities to inform a wider audience of young women and girls.