Guys won't come to group and other myths

Peer Advocates for Health (PAH) is a community-based program designed to 1) increase reproductive health knowledge and access to services and 2) improve lifestyle choices among adolescent males living in high-risk neighborhoods. The Peer Advocates Program Model provides intense reproductive health training and one-on-one support for adolescent males, ages 14-18. PAH has trained 145 young men from 33 different high schools on Chicago's south side. Peer Advocates have provided information to 6,000 other adolescents, at schools, at a Drop-in Center for males, or by talking one-on-one with friends, and they have distributed 25,000 condoms in their own communities.

When they join PAH, mean age is 15.9 years, 98% are African American, all are in school, 54% do not live with their father; 65% have ever had sex; 22% report not using contraception the last time they had sex; and 54%, have never been to a clinic for reproductive health. Significant increases in reproductive health knowledge (contraception, STIs and puberty), communication (with partners F(1.83,27.6)=6.06, p=.008) and increased clinic utilization (t(21)=-2.27, p=.031) among PAH participants have previously been reported. The current analysis examines participant responses to“Why they joined” at intake and “What is the main thing they got from being in PAH” after one year. Differences between those young men who remained in PAH for a year (33%) and those who dropped-out should inform efforts to maximize retention of adolescent males. PAH is supported through DHHS, Region V Office of Family Planning, Title X, and the Illinois Dept. of Human Services.