Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Receipt Among Young Males Aged 15-24

Arik V Marcell; Susannah E Gibbs; Nanlesta A Pilgrim; Kathleen R Page; Renata Arrington-Sanders; Jacky M Jennings; Penny S Loosier; Patricia J Dittus

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.08.016

Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Receipt Among Young Males Aged 15-24

J Adolesc Health. 2018 Apr;62(4):382-389. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2017.08.016. Epub 2017 Nov 8.

Authors

Arik V Marcell¹, Susannah E Gibbs², Nanlesta A Pilgrim², Kathleen R Page³, Renata Arrington-Sanders⁴, Jacky M Jennings⁴, Penny S Loosier⁵, Patricia J Dittus⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland. Electronic address: amarcell@jhu.edu.
² Department of Population, Family, and Reproductive Health, The Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.
³ Department of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, The Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland.
⁵ Division of STD Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to describe young men's sexual and reproductive health care (SRHC) receipt by sexual behavior and factors associated with greater SRHC receipt.

Methods: There were 427 male patients aged 15-24 who were recruited from 3 primary care and 2 sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in 1 urban city. Immediately after the visit, the survey assessed receipt of 18 recommended SRHC services across four domains: screening history (sexual health, STD/HIV test, family planning); laboratories (STDs/HIV); condom products (condoms/lubrication); and counseling (STD/HIV risk reduction, family planning, condoms); in addition, demographic, sexual behavior, and visit characteristics were examined. Multivariable Poisson regressions examined factors associated with each SRHC subdomain adjusting for participant clustering within clinics.

Results: Of the participants, 90% were non-Hispanic black, 61% were aged 20-24, 90% were sexually active, 71% had female partners (FPs), and 20% had male or male and female partners (M/MFPs). Among sexually active males, 1 in 10 received all services. Half or more were asked about sexual health and STD/HIV tests, tested for STDs/HIV, and were counseled on STD/HIV risk reduction and correct condom use. Fewer were asked about family planning (23%), were provided condom products (32%), and were counseled about family planning (35%). Overall and for each subdomain, never sexually active males reported fewer services than sexually active males. Factors consistently associated with greater SRHC receipt across subdomains included having M/MFPs versus FPs, routine versus non-STD-acute visit, time alone with provider without parent, and seen at STD versus primary care clinic. Males having FPs versus M/MFPs reported greater family planning counseling.

Conclusions: Findings have implications for improving young men's SRHC delivery beyond the narrow scope of STD/HIV care.

Keywords: Male adolescents; Quality of care; Sexual and reproductive health care; Young adult men.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Male
Primary Health Care / methods
Reproductive Health Services / statistics & numerical data*
Sexual Behavior / ethnology*
Sexual Health / ethnology
Sexually Transmitted Diseases / prevention & control
United States
Young Adult

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding