99 - Quality for Teens (Q4T): Launching A Quality Improvement Package for Improving Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Care

Friday, April 28, 2023

5:15 PM – 7:15 PM ET

Poster Number: 99
Publication Number: 99.15

Anna W. Brittain, CDC, Atlanta, GA, United States; Riley Steiner, Power to Decide, Atlanta, GA, United States; Kendra Hatfield-Timajchy, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Parker, CO, United States; Ananya Tadikonda, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Boyds, MD, United States; Caryn Bernstein, National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), Bethesda, MD, United States; Jennie A. McLaurin, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Ferndale, WA, United States; Mikayla Bobrow, Cicatelli Associates Inc., Denver, CO, United States; Alice Douglas, CAI, Denver, CO, United States; Stacy Dobreff, Grand Traverse County Health Department, K- Town Youth Health Center, Kingsley, MI, United States; Glorimar Irizarry, Holyoke Health Center Inc., Holyoke, MA, United States; Despina Lekakis, Holyoke Health Center, Holyoke, MA, United States; Jane Rice, Community Health Connection, Inc., Tulsa, OK, United States; Johanna K. Rizzardini, Holyoke Health Center, Holyoke, MA, United States; Annie Skorupa, Community Health Connection, Tulsa, OK, United States; Howard A. Smith, Southwest Community Health center, Bridgeport, CT, United States; Richard Wintermute, Southwest Community Health Center, Bridgeport, CT, United States; Deirdre Zuidersma, Grand Traverse County Health Department, Traverse City, MI, United States

Presenting Author(s)

Anna W. Brittain, MHS (she/her/hers)

Health Scientist
CDC
Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Background:

Equitable provision of quality adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) services (e.g., contraceptive and sexually transmitted infections [STI] services) can reduce rates of unintended pregnancies and STIs and disparities in these outcomes. Despite ASRH practice recommendations from national organizations, gaps in implementation persist. To support scale-up of ASRH-related quality improvement (QI) efforts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) collaborated with the National Association of Community Health Centers and Cicatelli Associates, Inc. to develop an ASRH QI package, Q4T (Quality for Teens), that collates actionable strategies and implementation resources.

Objective:

This presentation will summarize results from pilot testing and subject matter expert review and provide instructions for how to use the package.

Design/Methods:

Following an expert convening and environmental scan to create a draft of Q4T, Q4T was piloted to obtain feedback from January to May 2022 with four health centers from diverse settings with varying ASRH and QI experience. During monthly virtual meetings, collaborators gathered feedback on the utility of the package and suggestions for improvement. Feedback and additional implementation tips were collected from the centers via online surveys. Additionally, subject matter experts (SMEs) at CDC, the Office of Population Affairs, and the Health Resources and Services Administration were queried via email to elicit feedback on the package.

Results:

Overall, pilot sites and SMEs provided positive feedback on the package, indicating the content was comprehensive, well-organized, and supportive of providers with a range of experience. Most tools were seen as helpful and implementation tips were highly valued. Suggestions to improve included integrating content on organizing a QI implementation team and engaging senior leadership. Participants provided over 40 additional implementation tips, as well as feedback to enhance the trauma-informed approach section. Participants recommended incorporating interactive components: a needs assessment with clear direction for next steps; an action plan; and a QI implementation structure (e.g., interactive timelines and flowcharts). The pilot sites also recommended establishing learning collaboratives to support QI implementation.

Conclusion(s):

Pilot and SME feedback suggest Q4T has the potential to support implementation of ASRH QI in health centers. Findings informed revisions to the package. Supporting future implementation of learning collaboratives is being explored.