Abstract:
Each year in the United States, one in ten girls aged 15 to 19 becomes pregnant (Yawn & Yawn, 1997). Adolescent pregnancy is one of the most serious and extensive problems facing health educators and our nation in the 1990's. The United States has an ever increasing adolescent pregnancy rate, the highest in the developed industrial world (Kobokovich & Bonovich, 1992). The purpose of this study was to incorporate 1) a review of the related literature, and 2) principles of advocacy in an adolescent pregnancy prevention program manual for the health educator. The essence of the study was to describe the issue of adolescent pregnancy and to understand the elements of effective adolescent pregnancy prevention programs. The factor that is most strongly related to adolescent pregnancy is poverty (Yawn & Yawn, 1997). There is a tremendous need for advocacy for adolescent pregnancy prevention programs.