Scientific Research (SR1)

Project Overview: Scientific Research (SR1) will implement the Love Notes Sexual Risk Avoidance Evidence Based Program (SRA-EBP) in six counties in Central Mississippi. The Love Notes SRA-EBP curriculum aims to build skills and knowledge for healthy relationships in various life domains. It teaches adolescents what healthy relationships are and are not while building a set of skills for choosing friends and partners, and for developing and maintaining healthy relationships, including evidence-based communication and conflict management skills. In addition, the project includes an extensive parent involvement component. SR1 has an established collaboration with the school districts involved. SR1 proposes to reach 2,000 students in year one of this project and 2,000 in year two for a total of 4,000 participants. An external evaluator will use participant data to evaluate the impact of the curriculum on students’ outcomes in years 1 and 2 of the program.

Target Population: High school students 14- 19 years of age.

Geographic Area Served (Urbanicity of Community): Rural Hinds County, Scott County, Madison County, Leake County, Rankin County, and Neshoba County in Mississippi (Rural)

Teen Birth Rate in Area Served (Per 1,000)*: 37 in Rural Hinds County, 72.1 in Scott County, 72.8 in Leake County, 22.8 in Madison County, 46.4 in Neshoba County, and 22.2 in Rankin County.