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

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

Arik V Marcell  1 , Susannah E Gibbs  2 , Nanlesta A Pilgrim  2 , Kathleen R Page  3 , Renata Arrington-Sanders  4 , Jacky M Jennings  4 , Penny S Loosier  5 , Patricia J Dittus  5
Affiliations

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

Arik V Marcell et al. J Adolesc Health. 2018 Apr.

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.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest statement. None of the authors have any disclosures. The study sponsor did not have any role in (1) study design; (2) the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; (3) the writing of the report; and (4) the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. Dr. Marcell wrote the first draft of the manuscript and no honorarium, grant, or other form of payment was given to anyone else to produce the manuscript.

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