Comprehensive sexuality education and mobile health services for Sierra Leonean adolescents
Official title: REACH Study: Reproductive Empowerment for Adolescents Through CAHLS and Health Services (FPIL Sierra Leone Component)
Run by Guttmacher Institute · NCT07860723 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial tests whether providing comprehensive sexuality education and mobile reproductive health services in secondary schools can improve health, well-being, and economic outcomes for adolescents in Sierra Leone.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 12 Years to 17 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 5300 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Guttmacher Institute Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Freetown) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 5, 2026 |
| Main results expected | October 2029 |
| Study ends | October 2029 |
| Registry record updated | November 6, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07860723 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal participants are 12–17-year-olds enrolled in JSS1 in selected schools who assent to participate and have guardian opt-out available.
✕Probably not a fit
Participants who do not experience changes in school environment, personal circumstances, or access to services may see no measurable benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial examines the effects of a school-based comprehensive sexuality education program and mobile sexual and reproductive health services on adolescents in two Sierra Leone districts. Schools will be assigned to receive CSE, mobile SRH services, both, or neither, with follow-up over three years to assess health, social, and economic outcomes. The study also evaluates the costs and cost-effectiveness of delivering CSE and mobile SRH services, as well as how closely implementation follows the plan. It is part of the Family Planning Impact Lab, which funds multiple trials in sub-Saharan Africa to generate evidence on long-term impact and cost-effectiveness of family planning interventions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants and school communities could experience improved SRHR knowledge, access to services, and empowerment, with potential downstream benefits for health and socioeconomic outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous related trials in family planning and school-based interventions have shown mixed but promising improvements in knowledge, access, and some health behaviors; this study tests a combined, scalable approach in a high-need setting.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 12 to 17 at baseline * Enrolled in the lowest grade (JSS1) of one of the junior secondary schools selected for the study in September 2026 * Provided assent to participate in the research Exclusion Criteria: * Individuals unable to provide assent due to cognitive impairment or severe mental illness * Individuals whose guardians opted them out
Where it's running
-
240 schools in Kambia and Kenema districts (confidential, cannot be disclosed)
Freetown, Sierra Leone Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Hannah Olson, PhD — Guttmacher Institute
- Study coordinator: Hannah Olson, PhD
- Email: holson@guttmacher.org
- Phone: 800-355-0244
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.