Teen PEP Evaluation Findings

In collaboration with Rutgers University, the Teen Prevention Education Program (Teen PEP) was evaluated from 2000-2003. Students who participated in Teen PEP as peer educators as well as students who were participants in five outreach workshops completed a pre-test of their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors prior to Teen PEP activities and subsequently completed a post-test of the same measures after completing Teen PEP activities. Peer educators and workshop participants were compared to a similar group of students who completed the same assessments. Recently, Teen PEP was evaluated through a partnership with Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine using a rigorous quasi-experimental design where student peer educators were matched with a comparison group of students. Students in each group completed pre- and post-test assessments of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Results from these studies are summarized below.

Impact on Peer Educators

After participating in Teen PEP, peer educators, as compared to students who did not participate in the program are more likely to:

• Know accurate sexual health information ^{1, 2}
• Believe that they can refuse risky and unwanted situations ²
• Report responsible decision-making ²
• Think ahead regarding the consequences of their sexual choices ²
• Communicate about sexual health issues with parents, friends, and partners ¹
• Wait longer to have sex ¹
• Stop having sex ¹
• Reduce the number of sex partners ¹
• Access reproductive health care services more often ¹
• Use or report the intention to use birth control and condoms more often ^{1, 2}
• Plan to ask a partner to be tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections ²

Impact on Workshop Participants

After participating in Teen PEP, workshop participants, as compared to students who did not participate in the program are more likely to:

• Communicate about sexual health issues with partners ¹
• Wait longer to have sex ¹
• Stop having sex ¹
• Have sex less often ¹
• Abstain from sex while under the influence of alcohol and other drugs ¹
• Use birth control more often ¹

Teen PEP Evaluation Studies: Rutgers University (2000-2003) ¹, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (2009)²

For more information on Teen PEP evaluation, please contact Dr. Chavonne Lenoir.