A culturally tailored program that creates a safe, open space to increase knowledge, self-efficacy, skills, and comfort related to sexual and reproductive health, including HIV/STI and teen pregnancy prevention, mental health, and substance use risk reduction behavior, and strengthens protective factors, decision-making skills, and connections to trusted adults may help participants chart a path toward optimal health. To address a significant gap in evidence-based, culturally-tailored sexual and reproductive health services for Black and African American adolescents, Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) is conducting a rigorous evaluation of an innovative group-level, two pronged intervention called Talking Matters using an individual randomized control trial (RCT) design. Due to social distancing guidelines during COVID-19 at the start of the study, all Talking Matters activities, including recruitment, screening, consent, intervention implementation, and data collection, will be conduct virtually and remotely. Developed and piloted over the past two years through FY2018 Phase I New and Innovative Strategies (Tier 2) to Prevent Teen Pregnancy and Promote Healthy Adolescence funding from the Office of Population Affairs (OPA), Talking Matters is a promising group-level, two-pronged intervention tailored for urban Black and African American 14 to 19 year old adolescents who are recruited from school- and community-based settings in Philadelphia, PA. Grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, the Transtheoretical Model, and Self-Determination Theory, and using evidence-based Motivational Interviewing strategies, the primary goals of Talking Matters are to reduce adolescents' risk for teen and unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV, and to strengthen protective factors improve optimal health. The two prongs of Talking Matters include (1) an adolescent-focused five-session, group-level intervention called We Get to Choose (WGTC) and (2) an adult-focused three-session, group-level training called Let's Talk Real Talk (LTRT). An opportunity to connect WGTC participants to trusted adults who completed LTRT is provided during one facilitated session conducted each quarter. Adult participants of the LTRT training are not human subjects of the Talking Matters study.
Age range
14 Years – 19 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
Change in the number of oral, vaginal, and/or anal sex episodes without a condom, female condom, or dental dam in the past 60 days (2 months) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 3 months post-baseline
Change in the number of oral, vaginal, and/or anal sex episodes without a condom, female condom, or dental dam in the past 60 days (2 months) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 6 months post-baseline
Change in the number of vaginal sex episodes without any form of contraception (including condoms) in the past 60 days (2 months) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 3 months post-baseline
Change in the number of vaginal sex episodes without any form of contraception (including condoms) in the past 60 days (2 months) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 6 months post-baseline
Change in the number of partners with whom participants had oral, vaginal, and/or anal sex without a condom, female condom, or dental dam in the past 60 days (2 months) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 3 months post-baseline
Change in the number of partners with whom participants had oral, vaginal, and/or anal sex without a condom, female condom, or dental dam in the past 60 days (2 months) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 6 months post-baseline
Maintained condom use at last vaginal sex (yes/no) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 3 months post-baseline
Change in condom use at last vaginal sex (yes/no) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 3 months post-baseline
Maintained condom use at last vaginal sex (yes/no) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 6 months post-baseline
Change in condom use at last vaginal sex (yes/no) from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 6 months post-baseline
Change in self-efficacy for communicating with sexual partners about sexual and reproductive health from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 5 weeks post-baseline
Change in self-efficacy for communicating with sexual partners about sexual and reproductive health from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 3 months post-baseline
Change in self-efficacy for communicating with sexual partners about sexual and reproductive health from baseline to follow up.
Timeframe: Baseline up to 6 months post-baseline