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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Lena Marie Edmunds, CHES, Community Health Division, Benton County Health Department, PO Box 579, Corvallis, OR 97339-0579, 541-766-6629, lena.m.edmunds@co.benton.or.us
MARS is an innovative male involvement program developed, implemented, and evaluated in Benton County, Oregon. Two male college students apply the program’s two-pronged approach to increasing sexual responsibility in males age 13-25 by serving as role models and male outreach workers.
The first prong of MARS is a clinical component that provides males with a monetary incentive to attend a sexual health counseling appointment at the local family planning clinic. MARS workers also staff these appointments.
The second prong is education outreach in which MARS workers provide sexual health education to young men in the community. MARS workers coordinate and facilitate educational groups with males in high school and college classes, youth groups, fraternities, and other similar organizations. These discussion groups focus on masculinity, gender issues, healthy communication and relationships, and sexual health. Their message: “Men should take a responsible role in promoting equality and cooperation in relationships, pregnancy prevention, sexual health, contraceptive use, and overcoming stereotypical gender roles.”
Community involvement and partnerships contribute to the success of the MARS Program and help “put the public back in public health.” Collaborating organizations include a university, the local teen pregnancy prevention task force, rural health clinics, and local high schools.
Learning Objectives: The learning objectives of this poster presentation are
Keywords: Male Reproductive Health, Family Planning
Related Web page: www.orst.edu/dept/student_health/HealthPromo/Brochures/MARSProgram.htm
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.