Study Design
This project will utilize a quasi-experimental study due to its nature, which is to promote health. Hence, it is impossible to exclude certain individuals from the study based on varied behavioral patterns. Trochim (2006) has articulately indicated the types of quasi-experimental designs and in reference to this study’s question, a nonequivalent group design will be ideal. A nonequivalent quasi-experimental design utilizes pretest and posttest concepts for the experimental and control groups.
Setting/Sample
The study will take place in Illinois because of its high prevalence of Chlamydia and associated sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, there is a remarkable differentiation in the prevalence rate of Chlamydia among African Americans in comparison to other racial groups. Hence, this study will focus on young African American women aged between 15 and 24 years (Illinois Department of Public Health, 2010). The neighborhood of choice will be South Florida due to the high African American population and levels of marginalization. I will target the health facilities based on sampling with probability proportional to size, indicated by the European Social Survey Education Net (2013). The adolescents listed in the hospital records of selected health facilities will provide the sampling frame. The sample size will be determined using Cochran’s formula indicated by Israel (2015, par. 12). I will obtain a sampling interval and every nth individual will be included in the study. Upon obtaining my sample, I will use quota sampling to divide them into groups. New adolescents not part of the initial sampling frame will not be included in the study.
Data collection
A questionnaire containing a rating scale will be used to collect data before and after the intervention. Data collection will be enabled by engaging participants in interviews, but before the interviews, they will fill in the Likert scales.
Confidentiality
The identity of each participant will remain anonymous and no information will be revealed to any unauthorized party without the participants’ knowledge and approval. The participants will be referred to by serial numbers and any personal information linking to the participant will not be exposed during cleaning, coding, and analysis of data. Storage of data will be protected; electronic data will be stored in password-protected files. Information likely to reveal the identity of a participant will be stored separated from the general data and securely stored. This kind of information will be destroyed when no longer needed for the purposes of research.
Intervention
One quota of the sample population will receive health education and counseling while the other quota will receive condoms, but limited information on the essence of distributing and use of the condoms will be given. To ensure replicability of results, participants will not be included in this study if they are covered in another program or intervention.
Instruments and Measurement of outcomes
A questionnaire that will encompass a Likert scale will be used. The questionnaire will be used to obtain information on socio-demographic characteristics, involvement in sexual behavior, knowledge and attitude about sexual behavior, and factors influencing the participant’s choices of sexual behavior. Specifically, the Likert scale that is incorporated within the questionnaire will be used to measure knowledge, attitude, and cultural influences. The instruments will be measured to determine their validity and reliability using consulting my supervisor and applying Cronbach alpha and Pearson correlation coefficients respectively.
Data collection
Data will be collected through interviews, but the Likert scales will be filled in by the participants. The data collected will be a mixture of both quantitative and qualitative data.
Testing Frequency
Prior to the intervention, baseline data will be collected and described in terms of frequencies, proportions and ratios using descriptive statistics. Statistical differences between baseline characteristics of the two groups will also be determined and highlighted to aid in discussion of results. Repeated measures will be employed in that pretest and posttest data will be compared to determine change in behavior, knowledge, attitude, and decision-making processes associated with one’s sexuality.
References
European Social Survey Education Net. (2013). Sampling with probability proportional to size.
Illinois Department of Public Health. (2010). Illinois ranks above the national rate for Chlamydia and gonorrhea.
Israel, G. D. (2015). Determining sample size. Web.
Trochim, W. M. (2006). What is the research methods knowledge base?
Appendix 1: Questionnaire
Socio-demographic and background Information
- What is your gender?
- Male
- Female
- How old are you?
- When is your birth date?
- Have you engaged in any sexual activity before?
- How old were you when you had an encounter with your first sexual activity?
- How can you describe yourself?
- I am sexually active
- I am moderately sexually active
- I am not sexually activie
- How many times have you engaged in protected sex?
- Once
- Twice
- Thrice
- More than thrice
- How many times have you engaged in unprotected sex?
- Once
- Twice
- Thrice
- More than thrice