Announcement of Availability of Funds for Secondary Data Analysis of Evidence-Based Teen Pregnancy Prevention (TPP) Programs

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This purpose of this FOA is to solicit applications for projects that will contribute to the evidence base by enhancing our understanding of interventions identified as effective by the HHS Pregnancy Prevention Evidence Review in reducing rates of teen pregnancy and existing disparities. The funding for this FOA comes from authority in section 241 of the Public Health Service Act and is subject to annual appropriations “to carry out evaluations (including longitudinal evaluations) of teenage pregnancy prevention approaches.” The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113). With this FOA, OAH is interested in analyses of existing rigorous evaluation data, including new or advanced methods of analyses, or novel combination and integration of datasets to allow the exploration of new questions in the area of teen pregnancy prevention. This effort will build upon and expand OAH’s program evaluation efforts from fiscal years FY 2010 to FY 2014 to identify programs with demonstrated effectiveness in reducing teen pregnancies and existing disparities. The Office Adolescent Health will be substantially involved in the administration and management of the cooperative agreement to assist the grantees in achieving all project objectives and requirements. Elements of substantial involvement include, but are not limited to following: • Identification of other awardees and organizations with whom the awardee may be asked to develop cooperative and collaborative relationships and partnerships; • Assisting the awardee to establish, review, and update priorities for activities conducted under the auspices of this cooperative agreement; and • Review and approval of analysis plans once datasets have been obtained to move forward with analysis phase of the project. In addition to the substantial involvement, OAH will perform the usual monitoring and technical assistance provided under a cooperative agreement including but not limited to monthly meetings via phone call to review project plans and activities; ongoing review of all activities and procedures, work plans, and budgets; and review of procedures of accomplishing the objectives of the project funded under this cooperative agreement. Proposed grant projects are not limited to publications and datasets from the FY2010-2014 Teen Pregnancy Prevention Grant Program or OAH’s Federal evaluations but may also include large, nationally representative data sets; data from other sources; and data from Federal, State, or local governmental agencies. If quantitative data is not publically available, the applicant will need to describe their possession of or ability to obtain and utilize private datasets. Projects are expected to conduct investigations in relation to key pregnancy prevention outcomes including but not limited to: 1) condom use; 2) sexual activity; 3) use of effective contraceptive methods; 4) pregnancies and births; and/or 5) incidence of STIs. Investigations including additional important risk or protection outcomes are acceptable and encouraged. Grants under this announcement are not intended as a means to carry out data collection, ongoing data analysis or for the maintenance and distribution of data sets. Proposed secondary data analyses must be distinct from the aims and methods of the primary research under which the data were collected, i.e. effects or outcomes previously examined in the original scope of research, and avoid duplication with existing projects in the field. Secondary data analyses using extant data obtained from rigorous program evaluations that analyze program components, populations, or settings that were not previously examined in the original scope of research, and particularly analyses that combine data from multiple rigorous evaluations of a particular effective TPP program, are a priority for this announcement. Specifically, this FOA is interested in secondary data analyses with interventions identified as effective by the HHS Pregnancy Prevention Evidence Review. OAH is interested in addressing different research questions across funded projects, prioritizing data analyses that will address the following research questions: 1.) By how much do program effects on key outcomes vary across individuals, subgroups and sites? 2.) What characteristics of programs, their participants and their contexts predict (moderate) variation in program effects on key outcomes? 3.) What mechanisms cause (mediate) program effects and their variation on key outcomes? 4.) What is the effect on key outcomes of participating in a particular component of a multi-faceted intervention? 5.) How does exposure to various levels of program quality and/or program dosage affect program impacts on key outcomes? 6.) What behavioral or other outcome measures beyond the current HHS Evidence Review outcome measures are reliable and valid to collect from adolescents, particularly younger adolescents (ages 10-14 years) and are later correlated with the HHS Evidence Review outcomes measures?

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