Introduction
Sexually active adolescent and adult men have substantial sexual and reproductive
health (SRH) needs, but little is known about their willingness and preferred approach
to talk about SRH with their healthcare provider.
Purpose
To examine participants’ willingness to talk about 11 SRH topics, including sexually
transmitted disease (STD) risk; human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine; condom use; female
birth control methods; emergency contraception; concerns about sexual performance
or making someone pregnant; being a father; relationships; testicular cancer; and
acne, with their healthcare provider and their preferred approach (provider- or self-initiated).
Methods
This cross-sectional clinic-based survey of 346 men aged 16–35 years was conducted
in 2011. Bivariate analyses conducted in 2012 examined variation in study outcomes
by participants’ predisposing (age, race/ethnicity); enabling (education, past provider
SRH discussion); and need factors (SRH concern).
Results
Almost all participants (84%–98%) were willing to talk about all SRH topics. The top
three topics included STD risk (98%); testicular cancer (98%); and HPV vaccine (97%).
Among those willing to talk, the majority preferred their provider initiate the discussion
(52%–88%). Participants reporting past provider discussions were more likely to prefer
that their provider initiate discussions on condom use, female birth control methods,
concerns about sexual performance and making someone pregnant, and relationships.
Study outcomes did not vary by any other participant predisposing, enabling, or need
factors.
Conclusions
These findings indicate that adolescent and adult men are willing to discuss a wide
range of SRH topics with their healthcare provider. Providers need to move beyond
whether male patients want to talk about these topics and instead proactively promote
these conversations.
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to American Journal of Preventive MedicineAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Reassessing adolescent male sexual and reproductive health in the U.S.: research and recommendations.Am J Mens Health. 2008; 2: 40-56
- Prevalence of STI/HIV counseling services received by teen males, 1995 to 2002.J Adolesc Health. 2010; 46: 553-559
- Correlates of receiving reproductive health care services among U.S. men aged 15 to 44 years.Am J Mens Health. 2011; 5: 358-366
- Health care information sources for adolescents: age and gender differences on use, concerns, and needs.J Adolesc Health. 2001; 29: 170-176
- Emergency contraception in California: findings from a 2003 Kaiser Family Foundation Survey.The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, Menlo Park CA2004 (Report No.: 7036.kff.org)
- A population-based survey of sexual activity, sexual problems and associated help-seeking behavior patterns in mature adults in the U.S.Int J Impot Res. 2009; 21: 171-178
- Masculine beliefs, parental communication, and adolescent males’ health care use.Pediatrics. 2007; 119: e965-e974
- Ethnicity as a factor in reproductive health care utilization among males attending family planning clinics.Am J Mens Health. 2011; 5: 216-224
ICPD programme of action summary. In: International Conference on Population and Development. Cairo: UN Department of Public Information 1994. unfpa.org/public/cache/offonce/home/sitemap/icpd/International-Conference-on-Population-and-Development/ICPD-Summary.
WHO. Defining sexual health: report of a technical consultation on sexual health, 28–31 January 2002, Geneva. Geneva: WHO Press, 2006. www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/sexual_health/defining_sexual_health.pdf.
- U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.Ann Intern Med. 2008; 149 (W95): 491-496
- Human papillomavirus vaccine: an updated position statement of the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine.J Adolesc Health. 2011; 48: 215-216
Recommendations on the use of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine in males—Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2011. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2011;60:1705–8.
- Erectile dysfunction is a marker for cardiovascular disease: results of the minority health institute expert advisory panel.J Sex Med. 2005; 2 (discussion 50–2): 40-50
- Sexual dysfunction and cardiac risk (the second Princeton consensus conference).Am J Cardiol. 2005; 96: 313-321
- Revisiting the behavioral model and access to medical care: does it matter?.J Health Soc Behav. 1995; 36: 1-10
- Core sexual/reproductive health care to deliver to male adolescents: perceptions of clinicians focused on male health.J Adolesc Health. 2012; 51: 38-44
- Adolescents’ views regarding sexual history taking.Clin Pediatr (Phila). 1999; 38: 227-233
- Alternatives for logistic regression in cross-sectional studies: an empirical comparison of models that directly estimate the prevalence ratio.BMC Med Res Methodol. 2003; 3: 21
- Adolescents’ health beliefs are critical in their intentions to seek physician care.Prev Med. 2005; 41: 118-125
- Men, masculinity, and the contexts of help seeking.Am Psychol. 2003; 58: 5-14
- Providing quality family planning services: Recommendations of CDC and the U.S. Office of Population Affairs.MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2014; 63: 1-54
- Erectile dysfunctions in patient-physician communication: optimized strategies for addressing sexual issues and the benefit of using a patient questionnaire.J Sex Med. 2007; 4: 38-46
Article Info
Publication History
Published online: June 17, 2014
Identification
Copyright
© 2014 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
