Evaluating service delivery models for pregnant adolescents

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Adolescent Health
• Social Services

Background:

• Programs for pregnant adolescents and teen parents lack standardized models due to local development.
• Service delivery varies in comprehensiveness and location (hospital, school, social agency).
• A prevailing assumption is that multi-service programs yield greater impact than single-service programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test the assumption that multi-service programs are more impactful than single-service programs for school-age mothers.
• To compare the medical and life outcomes of adolescent mothers in comprehensive versus health-focused programs.
• To examine program impact while controlling for social factors like age, race, and socioeconomic status.

Main Methods:

• Comparative study of two programs for school-age mothers in the same city.
• One program was comprehensive (health, education, social services); the other offered only health services.
• Outcomes analyzed included medical course and subsequent life histories, controlling for social determinants.

Main Results:

• Both groups exhibited similar medical and social outcomes post-delivery.
• A difference in post-delivery educational status was observed but not solely attributable to the comprehensive program.
• Pre-program educational variations influenced post-program educational outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The study suggests that comprehensive and hospital-based programs may serve different client populations.
• The "goodness of fit" between program characteristics and client needs is crucial.
• Multiple service delivery models are necessary to effectively support school-age parents.