Other half of the equation: Where are the boys in adolescent sexual and reproductive health programs

Underserved communities on the south side of Chicago have some of the highest rates of STIs, HIV/AIDS, and teen pregnancy in the city; Cook County currently has the highest rates of gonorrhea and chlamydia in the country.  For many young men growing up in these inner-city neighborhoods, reproductive health information and gender norms come from the “street” where girls may be viewed as “sexual targets” rather than partners in a healthy relationship (Mosena, Ho, Ely, & Ruch-Ross, 2004).  SRH programs rarely target adolescent males or provide appropriate training strategies, and access to health services is often the hospital emergency room. Since 2000, Peer Advocates for Health (PAH) has provided intense reproductive health training, one-on-one support, and employment experience for 240 adolescent African American males, ages 15-19, from 42 different high schools on the south side of Chicago.  After six months of intense training, PAH participants are employed to work in their own schools and neighborhoods, providing information and serving as role models for healthy lifestyle choices. Significant increases in knowledge (p<.001), communication (p<.05) and clinic utilization (p<.001) have been recorded among young men participating in PAH. Peer Advocates have provided information to 10,000 adolescents, have accompanied 200 young men for clinic services, and distributed 85,000 condoms. The PAH strategy of intensely training a small group of young men and employing these well-trained Peer Advocates to provide access to information and health services is a cost-effective strategy for improving the health and productivity of the entire community.