RESEARCH

Plan A has been proven effective through rigorous evaluation to reduce behavioral risk factors underlying teenage pregnancy, or other associated risk factors. It is available for replication in clinic settings as an evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention program.

Randomized Controlled Trial
An independently conducted randomized controlled trial enrolled 1,770 youth randomly assigned to watch Plan A (n = 886) or a control video (n = 884) before a reproductive health clinic visit. Compared to women in the control condition, at 3-months post-intervention, Plan A viewers had increased STI and HIV testing, increased contraceptive knowledge, heightened HIV/STI risk perception, and increased long-acting reversible contraception use among new clinic visitors. At 9-months post intervention, Plan A viewers had lower frequency of unprotected sex. Plan A viewers were also more likely to discuss sexual health topics with providers.

Acceptability Studies
Results from three independent acceptability studies found Plan A resonates strongly with young women as well as clinic staff. 

PUBLICATION  |  January 22, 2023
Plan A intervention outcomes: The Policy and Research Group publishes the first of two papers from the Plan A randomized controlled trial

This paper covers the 3-month post-intervention outcomes: higher contraceptive knowledge, HIV/STI risk perception, STI testing, and LARC uptake. 

Jenner E, Walsh S, Henley C, Demby H, Leger R, Falk G. Randomized Trial of a Sexual Health Video Intervention for Black and Hispanic Adolescent Females. Prevention Science. 2023. Online ahead of print.

PUBLICATION  |  July 1, 2019
Sentient Research publishes article in the journal Health Promotion Practice on Plan A

Aaron Plant, Vice President of Sentient Research, and colleagues published an article on the development of the Plan A intervention.

Plant A, Montoya JA, Snow EG, Coyle K, Rietmeijer C. Developing a Video Intervention to Prevent Unplanned Pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Older Adolescents. Health Promotion Practice. 2019;20(4):593-599.

VIDEO SCREENING  |  November 14, 2018
Plan A debuts at the 2018 American Public Health Association (APHA) Global Public Health Film Festival

Plan A was one of very few behavior change interventions to screen at APHA’s Global Public Health Film Festival.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS  |  November 10, 2018
Two presentations about Plan A at the 2018 annual meeting for the American Public Health Association (APHA) in San Diego, CA

Sentient Research staff gave two presentations on Plan A at the 2018 Annual Conference for the American Public Health Association (APHA) in San Diego. The first presentation investigated acceptability the Plan A video intervention. The second presentation covered methods used by Sentient Research for engaging adolescents in the development of sexual and reproductive health interventions, including human-centered design.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATION |  September 20, 2016
Presentation on the development of Plan A at the 2016 National Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Conference

Older adolescent African-American and Latina females experience disproportionately high rates of unintended pregnancies and STDs. Sentient Research created a new video intervention for this population by adapting the model created for Safe in the City, a soap-opera style video found to reduce STD infections among clinic patients by nearly 10%.