Children
Child rights action with informed and engaged societies
Children
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Pregnancy-free club: A strategy to prevent repeat adolescent pregnancy

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Schaffer, M.A., Jost, R., Pederson, B.J., & Lair, M. (2008). Pregnancy-free club: A strategy to prevent repeat adolescent pregnancy. Public Health Nursing, 25(4), 304-311.

ABSTRACT

Public health nurses (PHNs) implement interventions from the Public Health Intervention Wheel in a school-based program to prevent repeat adolescent pregnancy. The local health department, the school district, and a community hospital collaborated to develop the Pregnancy-Free Club (PFC) for adolescent mothers attending the school. Their goal was to prevent repeat adolescent pregnancy through a multifaceted approach. Strategies include the daily presence of PHNs in the school, monthly pregnancy tests and surveys, health counseling and referral, and group health education classes. The school also provides day care for participants' children. Following program initiation, the repeat adolescent pregnancy rate declined from 4.7% to a mean of 4.7% over 9 years of the program. Data from focus groups conducted with program participants suggested modifications that would increase participant satisfaction with the PFC. The daily presence of a PHN who was open and nonjudgmental paired with a supportive school environment, the availability of birth control counseling and referral, and affirmation of healthy choices to remain pregnancy free, were essential program components.