Effectiveness of sex information dissemination by selected Planned Parenthood Clinics

Abstract

The problem of this study was to compare the effectiveness of four selected strategies of sex information dissemination at selected Planned Parenthood clinics. In addition, change of the subjects' general sexual attitudes was investigated. Treatment strategies and control groups were randomly assigned to clinic date and day. The 348 subjects were placed in a treatment strategy or control group according to the date of their clinic visit. The Sex Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire was administered to the subjects upon completion of various combinations of treatment strategies, and to the control group subjects prior to their receiving clinic services. The collected data were separated into descriptive and experimental categories for analyses. A 3x5 factorial design was used for initial statistical analyses, then the simple main-effect technique was used for analysis of significant interaction, and the Newman-Keuls procedure was employed for within profile analysis. The general sexual attitude data was analyzed by utilization of the Chi-Square procedure. Eight null hypotheses were formulated for inferential statistical testing. Three dealt with sex knowledge, three with contraceptive knowledge and two with sexual attitude change. Significant sex knowledge differences existed between all three clinics. The College Station clinic subjects had higher mean scores regarding sex knowledge than the subjects from the Huntsville or Lufkin clinics. Subjects at the Huntsville clinic had higher scores than did subjects at the Lufkin clinic. Treatment strategy C, (a combination of audiovisual, a one-to-one interview educational session, and a one-to-one counseling session), was significantly more effective in improving sex knowledge in the Lufkin clinic. All other within-clinic treatment strategies were judged to be statistically equal in effectiveness. All the treatment strategies were significantly effective in increasing sex knowledge when compared with the control groups...