Teen4.info: a qualitative study to develop and evaluate of a reproductive
health website developed in partnership with teenagers and young parents from
Oxford and Great Yarmouth
C. Pyper (1), P. Johnson (2), J. Knight (1), C. Crook (3), S. Kaduskar (4),
A. Boutyeb (5)
Department of Public Health, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford,
OX3 7LF, UK (1); Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of
Oxford, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK (2); Bury Knowle Health Centre,
Oxford, UK (3); Consultant to Bury Knowle Health Centre, Oxford, UK (4); Young
parent support worker, Bury Knowle Health Centre, Oxford, UK (5); Funding:
British Telecom Higher Education Award & DoH Teenage Pregnancy Unit, DLM
Trust
Introduction: The UK has the highest incidence of teenage pregnancy in
Europe, which contributes to a high proportion of socially disadvantaged single
parents. In addition to unhealthy lifestyles many are also infrequent attendees
of antenatal health care systems and have poor pregnancy and perinatal outcomes,
which may have long-term health, social and economic consequences.
Aim: To use website technology and a participatory approach to improve
health promotion about Reproductive Health including: reproductive & sexual
health; access to local groups and services and accesses to educational and
vocational training opportunities.
Design and setting: A qualitative study in primary health care centres.
Subjects: Teenagers and young parents living in Oxford and Great
Yarmouth.
Methods: The research involves the development and evaluation of
information about reproductive health relevant to the target groups. The
facilitators and support workers from the project team and young parents from
each of the communities involved are working together to develop the pilot
website A variety of methods is being used to support the participants in the
development and co-ordination of the website, including facilitated group
discussion, personal stories (narratives) and frequently asked questions. The
information is frequently displayed as a series of images to assist those with
low literacy skills. The participatory techniques used ensure that the content
and design of the information is locally relevant and easily understood by the
target group. An example of the information currently under development can be
viewed at the website: www.Teen4.info. The website includes a locally relevant
section for each community and a ‘core’ section (or hub) which is focussing
on general issues developed in collaboration between the communities.
Evaluation: An initial evaluation of the teenage website project has
been completed. A questionnaire survey and focus groups with teenagers and young
parents who to date have not been involved in the development of the content of
the web-site is being conducted in order to gain further understanding about the
social, health and educational needs of teenagers who are vulnerable to becoming
parents.
Results: The evaluation will describe the key lessons learnt under
five headings: historical development of the website; the facilitators’
experience of involvement; the participants’ experience of involvement; the
participatory methodology of the facilitation process; the development of ideas
and concepts tried and revised. We will also present preliminary findings from
the questionnaire survey
Conclusion: A reproductive health website needs to be dynamic and
responsive to the needs of local groups. Many young people prefer images and
photos to large amounts of written text. There is a need for peer group support
workers to facilitate young parenting groups. There is a need for designers
involved with the website development to become IT support workers and work
directly with the groups. The process of developing the website in a
participatory way is method for delivering a health promotion to disadvantaged
young parents.
