[UPDATED June 2016] Young people currently comprise a larger proportion of the world’s population than ever before, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The World Health Organization defines young people as those between ages 10 and 24, and includes in its definition the sub-groups, adolescents (ages 10 to 19) and youth (ages 15 to 24). Unplanned or unwanted pregnancy among adolescents is a worldwide public health issue, and for unplanned pregnancies among younger women, unsafe options may become the recourse.
Many FP methods—especially long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) methods, like implants and intrauterine devices (IUDs)—while highly effective, are scarcely accessed by or considered acceptable options for youth, especially for those who are unmarried. LARC methods are highly effective, with pregnancy rates of less than one percent per year, and high rates of patient satisfaction and continuation.
As there is wider acceptance of the value of LARCs for young people, the need for SBCC efforts grows. Youth and service providers alike need to be open to discussion about the use of LARCs, address misinformation, tackle the issue of dual protection, and create an open and welcoming environment so that there can be thorough client-provider communication to support youth’s education and voluntary uptake of LARCs.
This Trending Topic offers some of the latest tools and project materials intended to increase use of LARCs among youth.
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Barriers to LARC Uptake Among Youth Highlights from the Research How to Make Voluntary Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives Accessible to Youth |
This is a comprehensive website which offers the practitioner information and tools to use during counseling and provision of LARC. The premise of the site is that long-acting reversible contraception should be offered first to young women.
The site includes the following information:
This session demonstrates how incorporating youth development principles when counseling teens about long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) can enhance teen knowledge, perception, and use of LARCs.
This website contains materials that can be used by service providers during a patient’s contraceptive counseling session. This includes the instructions and forms for collecting a medical history, discussing contraceptive options, presenting a case to a clinician, and reviewing method choice.
The I-Kit is designed to help program managers design and implement sound social and behavior change communication (SBCC) sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs for 10 to 19 year-olds living in urban areas.
This toolkit was designed to be used by implementors such as experienced program staff from NGOs, government offices or private industries who want to implement an SRH project for 10-14 year olds enrolled in primary school.
These brochures are part of a collection of materials for health care providers to counsel young women on the benefits of long-acting reversible contraceptive methods or LARCs.
The brochures discuss:
Reasons to think about using a LARCs method
These seven posters, available in English, are part of a collection of materials that were designed to encourage young women to talk with a health care provider on the benefits of long-acting reversible contraceptive methods (LARCs).
This video, which is part of a set of materials for young women on LARCs, is intended for service providers to guide them in how to approach young women who are interested in postponing pregnancy and searching for an appropriate contraceptive. There is a discussion guide which accompanies the video.
This infographic briefly explains the safety and effectiveness of LARCs, and compares the use of LARCs to the use of other contraceptives. It also provides information about where to find LARCs.
Produced by the California Family Health Council, this video provides training for service providers on how to counsel teens about long acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs).
This chart is directed at parents and provides a comparison chart of the various long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC) choices.
This infographic briefly covers the reliability, low cost, and availability of LARCs, especially in light of the US Affordable Care Act. It also advertises LARC Awareness Week which was held in November 2012.
The study shows that youthfriendly service providers trained to provide IUDs and implants in a safe and competent way increases the probability that these long-acting methods will be adopted by youth.
The Not Right Now initiative of the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy urges teens to think about the consequences BEFORE they have sex, make a plan for sexual health, and speak up for themselves. The initiative is intended for teens, parents, and educators.
This website is made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Breakthrough-ACTION Project, supported by USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health, Bureau for Global Health, under Cooperative Agreement #AID-OAA-A-17-00017 with the Johns Hopkins University.
Breakthrough-ACTION is based at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for Communication Programs (JHU∙CCP). The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of JHU∙CCP. The information provided on this website is not official U.S. Government information and does not necessarily represent the views or positions of USAID, the United States Government, or The Johns Hopkins University.