When people hear the words “sexual and reproductive health,” most think of obstetrics and gynecology. While this association is certainly indicative of the steps that have been taken to make women’s SRH a priority, a new report from Johns Hopkins shows that it may not be a good thing for men.
The gist of the report is that men are receiving fewer SRH services than women. This is problematic because population-level health improvements occur more quickly, sustainably, and thoroughly, if all people have access to appropriate care. This is the case for the HPV vaccine, for example. The report cites three major reasons for the gap:
- Lack of clear, uniform guidelines.
- Confusion over the benefits of services for men.
- Competing interests that make SRH a lesser priority for healthcare providers
.
The guidelines were compiled based on existing guidelines, research, and expert guidance. Their goal is to “describe best practice recommendations for the organization and delivery of preventive clinical sexual and reproductive health services for reproductive-aged males.” The report does this by providing clinical recommendations that fall into four categories: medical history, physical exam, lab tests, and counseling. Specifically, it calls for:
- A comprehensive SRH assessment that includes information about sexual practices and partners, pregnancy and fatherhood status, a reproductive life plan, and more.
- A comprehensive physical exam including external genital and perineal area.
- STI lab tests for males who are in at-risk categories based on age, sexual behaviors, etc.
- Comprehensive SRH counseling on topics inclusion STIs, pregnancy prevention, infertility, and more.
Though many of these recommendations are similar to those for women, they are not as routinely integrated in men’s healthcare. Additionally, the timing as well as some of the guidelines themselves are unique to reproductive-aged males, including teens and men who have sex with men (MSM).
Beyond the clinical guidelines, the report also recommends increased clinical research with men on this topic as well as more integrated discourse within the SRH and family planning communities on how men fit into the fields. Lastly, it calls for investment in training and capacity-building to allow the guidelines to be implemented successfully.
The guidelines overall do a wonderful job of acknowledging the needs of men within SRH. The report in many ways, inclusion the acknowledgment that MSM have SRH needs beyond STI prevention and the inclusion of an intimate partner violence screen, indicate how far the field has come in accepting diversity and honoring patient needs. It will be interesting to watch if and how this report makes an impact as well as how it evolves over time.
Other Sexual Health News This Week
Ray Rice Video Causes Huge Spike In Calls To Domestic Violence Hotline (Huffington Post)
Study Suggests Hollywood is Not So Gay-Friendly (Deadline)
9th Circuit Gets 3 Cases on same-Sex Marriage (AZ Central)
Controversial Sex Education Program Reinstated in Hawaii Public Schools (Watchdog.org)
Women’s Colleges Address Transgender Applicants (ABC News)
Male Birth control, Without Condoms, Will Be Here by 2017 (The Daily Beast)
Important Dates
The following conference proposals are due in September. Click on each title for more information and to submit.
Southern College Health Association Conference 2015, September 15
American College Health Association 2015 Annual Meeting, September 15
Wyoming Sexual Assault Summit XIV: Start by Believing, September 19
The following conferences take place in September. Click on each title for more information and to register.
Catalyst Con, September 11-14, Los Angeles, CA Say hi to staff writer Kait Scalisi who is presenting on two panels: “Sex, Dating, Kink, and the ‘C’ Word,” and “How to Be a Sex-Positive Warrior in Public Health.”
Widener University’s Sexuality, Intimacy, & Aging Conference, September 19-20, Chester, PA Check out Kait’s session, “Sexual Health and Pleasure in Cancer Survivorship.”