Harnessing health information to foster disadvantaged teens’ community engagement, leadership skills, and career plans: A qualitative evaluation of the teen health leadership program

Abstract

This paper describes a qualitative evaluation of a smallscale program aiming to improve health information literacy, leadership skills, and interest in health careers among high school students in a low-income, primarily minority community. Graduates participated in semistructured interviews, transcripts of which were coded with a combination of objectives-driven and data-driven categories. The program had a positive impact on the participants’ health information competency, leadership skills, academic orientation, and interest in health careers. Program enablers included a supportive network of adults, novel experiences, and strong mentorship. The study suggests that health information can provide a powerful context for enabling disadvantaged students’ community engagement and academic success.