Effectiveness of a multidisciplinary program on pregnancy outcomes for an adolescent population: A comparative study

The high rate of adolescent pregnancies and births in the United States has had an extensive impact on individual, family, community, and national issues related to health and economics. Teenagers, many of whom are already of lower socioeconomic status, are at risk for preterm birth and low birth weight, as well as incomplete use of available services. This inquiry used a retrospective comparative research design to evaluate the effectiveness of Project Teen in Palm Beach County, Florida. Project Teen is a multidisciplinary program offering a continuum of support services to pregnant adolescents and newly parenting adolescents and their infants until the infants are 2 years old. Through frequent contacts, home visitation, resource referral, counseling, and education the health care professionals collaborate with the clients to facilitate clients' choices which will maximize families' health potential. Home visitation by care coordinators and senior community health nurses was positively related to pregnancy, family health, and family socioeconomic outcomes.