The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

5064.0: Wednesday, November 19, 2003 - 9:30 AM

Abstract #69300

Providing reproductive health services to men: Findings from a preliminary evaluation of male sexual and reproductive health services at the Young Men’s Clinic

Bruce J. Armstrong, DSW1, Debra Kalmuss, PhD2, Roger Vaughan, DrPH3, David Bell, MD, MPH1, Lorraine Tiezzi, MS4, Alwyn Cohall, MD5, and Vaughn I Rickert, PsyD4. (1) Heilbrunn Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Ave., B3, New York, NY 10032, 212-304-5247, ba5@columbia.edu, (2) Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Avenue, B-2, New York, NY 10032, (3) Heilbrunn Departments of Population and Family Health and Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Ave, B-3, New York, NY 10032, (4) Center for Community Health and Education, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Ave, B-3, New York, NY 10032, (5) Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Harlem Health Promotion Center, Columbia University, 513 West 166th Street, New York, NY 10032

Despite efforts to increase male involvement in reproductive health services, few services targeting men have been developed and even fewer have been evaluated. This paper presents a process and impact evaluation of the Young Men’s Clinic (YMC), a sexual and reproductive health program for men aged 14-30 years old in a low-income, Dominican community in New York City. In addition to providing basic health care, the clinic aims to increase: testicular self-exams, condom use, partner contraceptive use, and couple communication about sex.

This study is based on a sample of 233 patients whose initial clinic visit and at least one revisit occurred between January 2000 and the end of June 2001. The data are based on self-administered English/Spanish questionnaires completed at each clinic visit. The impact evaluation is based on paired t-tests comparisons of mean scores on outcome variables at the initial and the revisit.

97% of the sample was satisfied with the services received at YMC. Moreover, nearly 62% reported talking to their male friends about the clinic. At revisit men were significantly more likely than at initial visit to report that they: examined their testicles, used condoms each time they had sex, and knew if their partner used birth control at last sex. There were no significant differences between initial and revisit data on use of condoms or partner’s use of birth control at last sex. Implications of these findings for enhancement of service delivery will be discussed.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Male Reproductive Health, Evaluation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.

Role of Relationships, Gender and Men in Reproductive Health

The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA