Impacts of El Camino on Latino Youth’s Sexual Health: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Rates of unintended teen pregnancy remain high among Latino youth. This cluster randomized controlled trial evaluates the long-term impacts of El Camino, a sexual health education program for Latino youth based on the principles of positive youth development, on students’ sexual behavior and related outcomes. Sixty-eight classrooms (n = 746 students, ninth to 12th grade) were randomly assigned to intervention (El Camino; 34 classrooms, n = 398) or control (standard curricula: 34 classrooms, n = 348) conditions across 11 schools in Maryland with large populations of Latino students. Classes were implemented in Spanish (75%) and English (25%). Sexual behavior outcomes and key behavior determinants were assessed using baseline and follow-up surveys administered approximately 10 months after program completion (n = 377). An intent-to-treat analysis was conducted. For the overall sample, there were no significant differences between conditions on rates of penile-vaginal sex (ever or recent), sex without a condom, or sex without any method of contraception. In subgroup analyses of students who reported never having had sex at baseline (n = 248), El Camino showed a statistically significant impact on reducing rates of sexual initiation (p = .007) and sex without a condom (p = .02). El Camino also showed significant favorable impacts on increased contraception and consent knowledge, increased awareness of birth control methods, and greater intention to use condoms if sexually active. Taken together, this randomized controlled trial of El Camino demonstrates favorable impacts on sexual behavioral precursors for all students and long-term sexual behavioral impacts among an important subsample of students.