Healthcare Research Class

Healthcare Research Class

PART A: Evaluation of Abstinence Education Performance Measures

SPRANS is the acronym of Special Projects of Regional and National Significance. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced that circa $33 million would be available for imparting abstinence education to young adults, ages 12 through 18 in terms of federal grant during fiscal year 2004.

Summary of SPRANS Performance Measures

In this program the grantees (public and private entities) were not allowed to identify their own program performance targets as they were advised to collect and report the program data in accordance with the six program performance measures as summarized below:

Proportion of program participants who successfully completed or remained enrolled in an abstinence-only program

Proportion of young adults who understood that self-restraint from sex is the definite option to stay away from premarital conception and sexually transmitted disease.

Proportion of youngsters who thought that community, psychosomatic and fitness benefits can only be recognized by refraining from sex before marriage

Proportion of participants who could not resist sexual urges and advances

Proportion of youth who committed to abstain from premarital sexual activity

Proportion of participants who showed an intention to avoid situation and risk behaviors which made them more vulnerable to sexual advances and desires.

Data collection and reporting was considered essential in monitoring the performance and progress of the Agency's efforts towards the program.

Cultural and Political Factors Influencing the Performance Measures

Cultural, social and political factors do have an impact upon performance measures as in case of black males belonging to poor economic and social class, the problem could result in provision of feedback. Seeing it across the board why would an individual disclose his or her personal information with regard to sexual practices periodically. It would be entirely up to the young adult to get enrolled or otherwise for reporting and furnishing the required data regarding performance measures. Under no law they could be compelled to reveal their personal happenings of sexual life as being a voluntary act based upon individual's own decision about future course of life.

Cultural and political issues are therefore bound to happen in conducting any research. There is global gender diversity in the form of 48% males and 52% females. Economic imbalances exist as 6% of the world's population has 59% of the total world's wealth. Knowledge about the diversity and imbalance strengthens our realization of the role that culture and politics play in health. As an outcome more and more ...