Optimizing Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescent Health: Putting Evidence into Practice.

INTRODUCTION: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents are at higher risk for adverse health outcomes compared to their cisgender and heterosexual peers. METHODS: Guided by the EPQA standardized reporting system, we implemented an evidence-based practice (EBP) initiative centered on affirmative healthcare for adolescents in two pediatric primary care sites. This initiative revolved around: (1) provider training on healthcare needs of SGM adolescents, (2) the use of two new EHR charting tools for SGM needs, and (3) examination of the EBP initiative using quantitative and qualitative analyses. RESULTS: Quick-texts tools were used 165 times in 3 months (20.4% compliance). Findings also show providers screened Hispanic patients at a proportionately lower rate (p = .043) as compared to other races and ethnicity. Providers perceived the EBP initiative as informative, feasible, without workflow disruption with suggestions for improvement. DISCUSSION: This EBP initiative has implications for advanced nursing practice, organizational policy, and health equity.

Increasing Adolescent Sexual Activity Screening Through a Provider-Based Intervention.

Screening for adolescent sexual activity is a vital aspect of comprehensive pediatric care. Adolescents engage in risky sexual behaviors. Thus, a complete and accurate sexual health history can assist in the prevention and treatment of disease, prevention of unwanted pregnancy, treatment of existing diseases, and optimal planning of future healthcare for adolescents. Current evidence shows that provider-focused strategies improve the delivery of preventive services, including sexual health screenings. In this initiative, we assessed and examined pre- and post-screening rates for sexual activity among adolescents by advanced practice providers. This multi-site initiative was implemented in four school-based health centers and a school-linked center that included 2,102 unique patients ages 9 to 24 years. Our biphasic intervention included education for advanced practice providers and electronic health record modifications. Pre- and post-data collection was conducted to determine changes in the rate of screening for sexual activity during a primary care adolescent health visit over a 3-year period. Data were collected via retrospective medical chart review and analyzed in three time periods for comparison from 2018 to 2021. Screening rates for sexual activity increased significantly after the intervention (all p < .001) with the likelihood more than double that of the year before it was implemented. The intervention was deemed to be a feasible and cost-effective strategy to improve the provider's willingness and ability to provide more adolescent sexual health screenings.

Preventing and Protecting Against Internet Research Fraud in Anonymous Web-Based Research: Protocol for the Development and Implementation of an Anonymous Web-Based Data Integrity Plan.

BACKGROUND: Data integrity is a priority in any internet research study; it should be maintained to protect the safety and privacy of human participants and to maintain the validity and reliability of research findings. However, one noteworthy risk of web-based research is fraudulent respondent activity. When investigators must utilize anonymous web-based recruitment techniques to reach hidden and expanded populations, steps should be taken to safeguard the integrity of data collected. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to present a novel protocol in the form of an anonymous web-based research data integrity plan (DIP) protocol that outlines steps for securing data integrity while conducting anonymous web-based data collection. METHODS: In this paper, we discuss a protocol regarding the development and implementation of a specific DIP in response to fraudulent activity in an original large-scale mixed methods study launched in April 2021. Four primary steps, each with a set of affiliated procedures, are presented: (1) defining the risks, (2) planning research protocols, (3) securing data collection and recruitment, and (4) determining enrollment. RESULTS: Following the relaunch of a large-scale original study and implementation of the DIP protocol, preliminary analyses demonstrated no fraudulent activity. A pre-post analysis is underway to evaluate the effectiveness of the DIP strategies from February 2022 through May 2023. CONCLUSIONS: Implementing the DIP protocol could save valuable research time, provides a process to examine data critically, and enables the contribution of rigorous findings to various health fields. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/38550.