Funded Projects

Puberty Needs Assessment and Education Initiative

Project Year

2025

City & State

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Program Name

CATCH Resident

Topic

Health Education & Prevention

Program Description

"The Problem Puberty is a universal experience that impacts a child's physical, emotional, and social development. Puberty education is critical for equipping children with the knowledge to navigate this transformative life stage. The onset of puberty typically occurs around ages 8 or 9 for girls and 9 or 10 for boys, presenting a narrow window for delivering effective education (2). However, school-based puberty instruction often begins too late, as it is frequently embedded within middle or high school sex education curricula (1). By this stage, many children have already experienced puberty, rendering the instruction less effective.  Compounding this issue is the 2023 Parental Bill of Rights. This legislation grants parents the right to consent or withhold consent for their child's participation in reproductive health and safety education programs. Consequently, fewer students can access school-based puberty education, widening knowledge gaps. As pediatricians, we play a crucial role in providing accurate, age-appropriate information about puberty. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends initiating conversations about puberty during well-child visits, starting at ages 7 or 8 (4). However, barriers such as provider discomfort and time constraints often hinder the effectiveness of these discussions.  Primary Setting and Number of Children Affected The primary setting for this project will be the University of North Carolina (UNC) Children's Pediatric Primary and Specialty Care Clinic. This clinic serves children ages 8-12, many of whom are Medicaid-insured, residing primarily in Chapel Hill and Durham counties. The clinic sees over 1,000 children in this age range each year during well-child visits. Our community partner, the Poe Center for Health Education, also seeks to provide puberty education but has faced challenges engaging Medicaid-insured families due to limited interest. This project aims to increase awareness and participation in Poe Center programming among underserved populations by emphasizing the importance of puberty education and leveraging the clinic's reach.  Project Goals 1.    We will distribute a needs assessment to parents and healthcare providers during well-child visits to identify current practices and gaps in puberty education for children ages 8-12.  2.    Based on the needs assessment findings, we will create targeted, bilingual educational materials, including age-appropriate worksheets, books, and puberty packs. 3.    We will collaborate with the Poe Center to provide puberty education sessions at the clinic, prioritizing Medicaid-insured families who may lack access to comprehensive instruction elsewhere.  Proposed Intervention The project will begin with a bilingual needs assessment for parents and clinicians administered during well-child visits for children ages 8-12. The parental survey will explore comfort levels with discussing puberty and whether they desire additional support. Clinicians will complete a parallel survey assessing their frequency and comfort in addressing puberty-related issues. After the visits, families will receive a bilingual after-visit summary, a discussion worksheet, and an age-appropriate puberty book to facilitate conversations at home. We will work with the Poe Center to bring their early puberty education expertise directly to the clinic. These in-person sessions will target Medicaid-insured families, aiming to provide accessible and comprehensive instruction. Program effectiveness will be evaluated through post-program surveys conducted by the Poe Center and feedback collected from parents and clinicians.  Anticipated Outcomes The outcomes of this project include identifying gaps in parental knowledge and comfort to empower families to navigate puberty confidently. Clinicians, in turn, will benefit from increased resources to provide anticipatory guidance during well-child visits. Our collaboration with the Poe Center is expected to enhance long-term partnerships and improve participation in their programs, ensuring families receive continued education as their children grow. Ultimately, this project will foster a community approach to puberty education, promoting healthier developmental outcomes for children across Chapel Hill and Durham counties."

Project Goal

Our goal is to create and disseminate a bilingual needs assessment surrounding puberty education, followed by developing paper materials and in-person opportunities with our Partnership with the Poe Center to provide accessible, age-appropriate, and early puberty education to the 8-12-year-old patients and families seen at the UNC Pediatric Resident Clinic.

Project Objective 1

By December 2025, complete a bilingual (English and Spanish) needs assessment survey with at least 50 families and 20 providers of 8-12-year-old patients seen at the UNC Pediatric Resident Clinic to identify their preferences, concerns, and knowledge gaps regarding puberty education. 

Project Objective 2

By May 2026, develop and distribute bilingual (English and Spanish) puberty education pamphlets that include age-appropriate information on physical and emotional changes during puberty, reaching at least 50% of patients aged 8-12 seen at the UNC Pediatric Resident Clinic during routine visits.

Project Objective 3

By June 2026, host four in-person bilingual puberty education sessions with the Poe Center for 8-12-year-old patients and their families, with a minimum attendance of 10 families per session, ensuring culturally sensitive, age-appropriate, and interactive content.

AAP District

District IV

Institutional Name

University of North Carolina

Contact 1

Divya Sirdeshpande, MD

Contact 2

Meaghan Nazareth, DO, MPH