The Use of Telehealth to Teach Reproductive Health to Female Rural High School Students

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the use of telehealth to teach reproductive health to rural areas with high rates of teen pregnancy.

DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.

SETTING: Two high schools in rural West Virginia.

PARTICIPANTS: High school female students who attended telehealth sessions.

INTERVENTIONS: Teleconferencing equipment connected rural high schools to a distal academic institution. Telehealth sessions included reproductive health and life skills topics. Demographic information, session pre- and post-tests, and 6- month assessment was obtained.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Reproductive health knowledge, behavior, and self-efficacy were assessed at intervention and at 6 months, along with Likert scale evaluation of telehealth as an educational tool.

RESULTS: Fifty-five students participated in the program with an average age of 16.14 (SD 1.24) years. Only 20% (10/50) of subjects' mothers and 12% (6/50) of subjects' fathers had achieved education beyond high school, and 20% (10/50) of subject's mothers had experienced teen pregnancies (age 18 or younger). Sexual activity was reported among 52% (26/50) of subjects, 4/50 (8%) reported desire to become pregnant within the next year, and 4/50 (8%) reported already pregnant. Thirty-seven students completed the 6-month follow-up survey. Reported condom use increased from 20% (10/50) at baseline to 40% (15/37) at 6 months (P = .04) and hormonal contraception use increased from 22% (11/50) to 38% (14/37) (P = .12). Report of human papillomavirus vaccination increased from 38% (10/26) to 70% (26/37) (P = .001) among all subjects. At 6 months, 91.8% (34/37) reported the use of telehealth was "very effective" as a means to teach the material.

CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth is an effective tool to teach reproductive health to rural areas.