Background: Pregnant and parenting adolescent girls often have older male partners, but little is known about the complex relationship between adult men and teenage women from the male point-of-view. Methods: We used rapid anthropological methods to do a qualitative assessment of 2 neighborhoods. This included 20 key informant interviews with service providers and with adult men 18 and older. We also ran 4 focus groups with 36 men, ages 18-55 in target neighborhoods. Results: Three major themes emerged from this research: men's views of ideal relationships shift as the men mature; contraception is viewed as protection against STDs rather than protection from pregnancy; and, older men have relationships with younger women because the teens are seeking financial and emotional security. Only with prompting could respondents reflect on the motivations of adult men. Responses included the need to feel young again, the decreased risk of STDs, and the malleability of teens. Discussion: Young adult men looking to have fun and establish an identity considered physical appearance and a non-judgmental attitude as important qualities in a female. According to the men of our study it is just these attributes that teens seek to display when trying to attract older men who can bring financial security into their lives. Men say they often feel duped by teens trying to appear older than they are. As men matured and looked to settle down, they looked for a companion whose sexual experience was limited. Again teenage women emerged as desirable in this context.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, participants will understand issues in teen pregnancy prevention evaluation
Keywords: Adolescents, Community Programs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.