Let's Talk Birth Control: a program to help teens choose and use contraception
Rigorous Evaluation of Let's Talk Birth Control Among Adolescents Attending Community Health Centers
This trial will test whether giving teens a printed contraceptive decision aid, counseling, and a QR code to Bedsider.org helps reduce sex without contraception and increase use of preferred methods.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 1500 (estimated) |
| Ages | 15 Years to 24 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | Child Trends Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Sioux City, Iowa and 1 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT06670066 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a cluster-randomized controlled trial that randomizes community health centers to implement the "Let's Talk Birth Control" intervention or continue standard care. The intervention provides adolescents a printed contraceptive decision aid, clinician contraceptive counseling, and a QR code linking to the Bedsider.org Method Explorer to support method selection and use. Primary outcomes include rates of sex without a contraceptive method, use of a preferred contraceptive method, and self-efficacy to discuss, obtain, and correctly use contraceptive methods among patients aged 15–24 assigned female at birth. Health centers must meet enrollment criteria and participants are recruited during sexual and reproductive health or general wellness visits.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents assigned female at birth aged 15–24 seeking sexual and reproductive health or general wellness care at participating community health centers who have had penile–vaginal sex in the past year or want to talk about birth control.
Not a fit: Patients who are not assigned female at birth, are not sexually active and do not want contraception, or who already use an adolescent-focused contraceptive decision aid are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lower rates of unprotected sex and increase contraceptive uptake and correct use among adolescents, potentially reducing unintended pregnancies.
How similar studies have performed: Previous decision-aid and counseling interventions among adolescents and young adults have shown modest improvements in contraceptive knowledge and uptake, but this specific adolescent-focused package is being tested in a cluster randomized design.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Health Centers: * Serve 400+ patients assigned female at birth (AFAB) aged 15-24 receiving sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services or general wellness exams annually. Although the project team may enroll rural health centers with smaller populations * Have not implemented an adolescent SRH patient-centered training recently * Do not utilize a contraceptive decision aid (CDA) designed for adolescent patients Participants: * Assigned female at birth * Seeking sexual and reproductive services or general wellness exams at an enrolled community health center * Have had penile-vaginal sex in the past year or are interested in discussing birth control with their provider * Agree to be in study Exclusion Criteria: Health Centers * Does not serve at least 400 AFAB aged 15-24 receiving SRH services or general wellness exams annually * Has recently implemented an adolescent SRH training * Currently using a CDA designed for adolescent patients Participants: * Does not agree to be in study * Is pregnant or is trying to become pregnant * Does not have access to a phone to receive text messages * Does not speak English or Spanish
Where this trial is running
Sioux City, Iowa and 1 other locations
- Siouxland Community Health Center — Sioux City, Iowa, United States (Recruiting)
- Signature Health — Mentor, Ohio, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Kate Welti, MPP
- Email: kwelti@childtrends.org
- Phone: 202-744-2413
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.