FRONTIERS PROJECT
Improving the Reproductive Health of Youth in Mexico

The Ministry of Health, the Mexican Foundation for Family Planning (MEXFAM), and the Investigation of Health and Demography (INSAD) worked with FRONTIERS to test the feasibility, cost, and impact of an intervention designed to affect: (1) the attitudes of community stakeholders toward informing young people about reproductive health issues and toward making services available for sexually active youth; (2) the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of adolescents; and (3) the quality and appropriateness of reproductive health services for adolescents. Peer promoters were recruited and trained, a sexuality and adolescence course was given in public secondary schools, and health service provider organizations were given technical assistance to make services more “youth friendly.” Over 350 talks on reproductive health topics were given for 8,103 young people, 106 talks were given for 3,106 teachers, and 199 talks were given for 2,096 parents. More respondents from all groups had heard about contraceptive options after the intervention, and the perception that young people are treated respectfully when buying contraceptives in pharmacies increased.

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Location

Mexico

Duration

February 2001–November 2002

Population Council researchers

Ricardo Vernon

(For more information about this study, please contact frontiers@popcouncil.org.)

Non-Council collaborators

Susan Adamchak, Family Health International/FRONTIERS

Investigation of Health and Demography (Investigación en Salud y Demografía or INSAD)

Mexican Foundation for Family Planning (Fundación Mexicana para la Planificación Familiar or MEXFAM)

Ministry of Health

Donors

US Agency for International Development

Publications/Resources
Council researchers' names appear in boldface type. 

2004
Vernon, Ricardo and Maricela Durá. "Improving the reproductive health of youth in Mexico," FRONTIERS Final Report. Washington, DC: Population Council. (PDF, 3.8 MB)

2003
"Mexico: Strengthen education on adolescent reproductive health," FRONTIERS OR Summary no. 36. Washington, DC: Population Council. (full text)

1999
"FRONTIERS adolescent reproductive health project update: Encuesta gente joven [Youth survey]," FRONTIERS Project Update no. 1. Mexico City, Mexico: Population Council. (PDF, 710 KB)

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See Also

• Mexico

• Reproductive Health/Youth

• FRONTIERS Youth

• FRONTIERS HIV and AIDS and Youth

• Horizons Youth

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