| One of the greatest challenges for the American public health agenda is the reduction of teenage pregnancy rates, especially for those ethnic groups with higher teenage birth rates such as Hispanics. Through communication strategies, adolescents' family planning behavior may be influenced so as to reduce teenage pregnancies.;The present research was based on diffusion of innovations theory. Nine non-parenting Hispanic female adolescents and nine parenting Hispanic female adolescents in Albuquerque, New Mexico, were interviewed individually. Analysis of the interviews reveals that most Hispanic female adolescents need to obtain more information about contraceptives, they have a positive attitude toward the use of contraceptives, and they believe that adolescents must receive contraceptive information to avoid pregnancy.;The goal of the present study is to answer three research questions: (1) How much do Hispanic female adolescents know about contraceptives? (2) What mass media and interpersonal communication channels do Hispanic female adolescents use to obtain information about contraceptives? (3) What attitudes do Hispanic female adolescents have toward receiving contraception information and toward contraceptive use?... |
