Despite the fact sexually transmitted infections are preventable, they continue to be a significant issue that warrants public concern due to perilous rates. In the contemporary world, engagement of teenagers and young adults in sexual activities is rampant; hence, as an adult nurse practitioner, it is imperative that I actively get involved promoting evidence-based interventions to safeguard individuals’ sexual health (Auerbach et al., 2012). I intend to adopt a preventive approach to address this problem because “prevention is better than cure.” Thereby, my PICOT question will be:
Among black women aged 15-24 years in Illinois (P), does health education and counseling (I) compared to no information (C) lead to increased use of condoms (O) over a period of six months (T)?
The evidence-based model indicated above is significant in facilitating change in healthcare by ensuring safety, effectiveness, and efficiency prevail (Rosswurm & Larrabee, 1999). Based on various literature searches, there is vast knowledge on how the efficacy of education and counseling promotes healthy sexual behavior. Therefore, the use of this model will enable me as the adult nurse practitioner to integrate this scientific knowledge into my existing experience to ensure that young women between 15 and 24 years are educated and counseled about taking care of their sexual health. Thereby, I will conduct intensive and extensive systematic reviews to select efficacious strategies for educating and counseling young marginalized women regarding their sexual health. I will integrate the evidence found into my practice as an adult nurse practitioner and define the outcomes by comparing hospital rates of chlamydia after and prior to the intervention (Stevens, 2013).
Low educational attainment is among the factors indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2014) associated with poor sexual health due to the inability of individuals to engage in protected sex. Black women are at the highest risk of contracting chlamydia based on the CDC (2014) report. Provision of education and counseling services are meant to empower the marginalized black women on an individual level while promoting them to form groups that can give them the motivation to develop community structures in the future to help young girls and ax the cycle of marginalization and high rates of chlamydia (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2013). Health education and counseling are meant to help the young women make informed decisions regarding their sexual lives.
This project tends to focus on evidence-based techniques to ensure that individuals take hold of their sexual health by engaging in protected sex through the use of condoms. Ultimately, this is meant to help reduce the prevalence of chlamydia. By educating and counseling (I) the young black women (P) when they visit the hospital regardless of their purpose for visit, as opposed to not targeting them (C), is expected to aid in increased use of condoms (O) as one way of promoting sexual behavior in a period of six months (T). In the long-run, the young women will:
- Have increased knowledge levels about the causes, symptoms, and prevention of chlamydia
- Make informed decisions
- Ensure to use condoms with sexual partners, if not in a marriage situation
It is necessary to ensure that the healthcare sector fully integrates evidence-based education and counseling strategies because chlamydia can have far bearing consequences on the health of the woman. Cervicitis, an outcome of chlamydia, in women results in ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, and chronic pelvic pain (CDC, 2015). Prevention of chlamydia will result in positive health outcomes attributed to a lack of associated adverse effects, reduced healthcare costs, and improved quality of life.
References
Auerbach, D. I., Pearson, M. L., Taylor, D., Battistelli, M., Sussell, J., Hunter, L. E., …Schneider, E. C. (2012). Nurse practitioners and sexual and reproductive health services: An analysis of supply and demand. RAND, Santa Monica.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2015). Chlamydia-CDC fact sheet. CDC, Atlanta, GA. Web.
CDC. (2014). STDs in racial and ethnic minorities. CDC, Atlanta, GA. Web.
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2013). The chief public health officer’s report on the state of public health in Canada, 2013: Infectious disease-The never- ending threat. Web.
Stevens, K. R. (2013). The impact of evidence-based practice in nursing and the next big ideas. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 18(2). Web.
Rosswurm, M. A., & Larrabee, J. H. (1999). A model for change to evidence-based practice. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 34(4), 317-322.