Men’s Health

This study examines the relationship between health self-efficacy, measures of sexual risk taking, health communication and negotiation skills, condom use, and substance use behaviors with history of prior incarceration among a sample of inmates in Georgia. The analysis herein is based on the completed survey responses from 188 inmates. The t test or simple chi-square tests were employed to examine differences in participant response means based on prior incarceration status and responses regarding HIV/AIDS problem behaviors for the entire population. The only statistically significant difference between first-time versus repeat offenders was the demographic variable age—meaning that repeat offenders were significantly older than were first-time incarcerated offenders (p < .001). In summary, the authors acknowledge the significance in identifying how a multitude of factors can be explored regarding incarcerated populations to enhance infectious disease interventions for this population.

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There is a paucity of information about what college-age men know about testicular cancer, making targeted educational programs difficult. The most common age group affected by testicular cancer is 15- to 40-yearolds. Therefore, educating young men, including the college population, becomes paramount. Six focus groups were conducted with men between the ages of 18 and 23 years (N = 31) at a large public university in the Northeast. Major topics included risk factors for testicular cancer, screening and diagnosis, treatments, psychological effects, and beliefs about prevention and cure. Focus groups revealed college students have poor knowledge and even less understanding of testicular cancer. Students were interested in learning about testicular cancer and other health topics affecting college men, such as healthy diet and exercise and common infectious diseases on college campuses. Simple means to educate college men included courses or assignments that focused on health issues, brief factual information, health fairs, peer educators, and celebrity guest speakers.

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The purpose of this study is to understand (a) the experience of men viewing the film Women’s Voices Women’s Lives (WVWL), a prevention education film for and by heterosexual African American women living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, and (b) the perceived needs of male viewers on how to best access effective HIV/AIDS prevention messages. A postviewing structured written survey was completed addressing the experience of viewing the film and HIV prevention services in the community, respectively (N = 16). Responses include stunning realization and anger that motivated viewers to get immediately screened for HIV. In addition, the men felt they were informed about HIV risk through the courage and candidness of the women describing their experience. Participants reported that a film similar to WVWL should be made for heterosexual/bisexual men. The authors conclude film prevention messages are a powerful means to convey health education ideas.

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This study aimed to identify possible correlates of putting condoms on after sex has begun and taking them off before sex has ended among male patients of an urban, public sexually transmitted disease clinic. Participants responded to a questionnaire and were largely African American men, 18 to 35 years old, who had used a condom during penile-vaginal intercourse at least three times in the past 3 months. In controlled analyses, men who were not highly motivated to use condoms correctly were nearly twice as likely to put a condom on after sex had begun. Men who reported erection loss during sex were about twice as likely to remove condoms before sex ended. Men reporting difficulties with the fit and feel of condoms were 2.5 times more likely to remove condoms early. Identified correlates may be amenable to clinic-based education and counseling augmented by offering a variety of condom brands and sizes to patients.

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Drawing on interview data from rural Nigeria, the article explores male youth perceptions of the risks and benefits of multiple sexual partnerships. Participants associated having multiple sexual partners with several harmful health and nonhealth outcomes, including sexually transmitted infections, and frequently confirmed that the practice also bolsters their sense of maleness and boosts their acceptance and ranking among peers. Young males’ involvement in multiple sexual partnerships should not be seen as always consequent on their ignorance of and/or indifference to the risks inherent in the behavior. It could also result from the integrality of the behavior to the social processes through which male youths validate their masculinity, mark their transition from boyhood to malehood, and configure their identities to gain acceptance into a local male peer community. Sexuality education curricula that ignore adolescents’ understandings of the benefits of their sexual practices may not deliver expected objectives.

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In the current study, a qualitative approach was used to investigate relevant beliefs and norms associated with sildenafil citrate (Viagra) consumption, initiation, and perceived consequences. Focus groups were conducted with 43 young men aged 18 and 19 years who identified themselves as lifetime sildenafil citrate users. The majority of focus group participants believed that “curiosity” and “peer pressure” contributed to their initial use. Most revealed that they first heard about sildenafil citrate from television advertisements, family members, friends, or sporting events, and they were able to obtain the drug from their friends and family members or they stole it from their father or grandfather. These findings may highlight the relative importance of exposure to prescription drug messages among those to whom the message is not specifically targeted, that is, young men. It is possible that the sildenafil citrate television messages are recalled by not only older male audiences but also by teenagers and younger men, producing similar cognitive processing and curiosity in both age cohorts.

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Male inmates with HIV/AIDS being served by case-management programs for those seriously ill in jails in Los Angeles (n = 34) and New Orleans (n = 20) are described and compared. At both sites, most were Black and poor with a history of substance abuse. Psychological functioning (Mental Health Inventory [MHI-5]) scores indicated poor mental health. Inmates reported an average of more than 10 symptoms, and at least 25% reported needing multiple medical, practical, and social services. These findings document a subpopulation of jail inmates who are seriously ill with HIV/AIDS, and they describe the potential care and service needs of such inmates. Given the chronicity of HIV/AIDS and the importance of strict adherence to treatment protocols, it is important not only to facilitate access to care and services for inmates but also to secure continuity of care and access to services when inmates are transferred to another facility or released into the community.

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