The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49840

Bruce Armstrong, DSW, Brad Kerner, BA, David Bell, MD, MPH, Lorraine Tiezzi, MS, and Roger Vaughan, DrPH. Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 60 Haven Ave., B3, New York, NY 10032, 212-304-5247, ba5@columbia.edu

Younger and older adolescent male adolescents utilize health care services less than female adolescents, regardless of setting (school-based clinics, hospital-based ambulatory clinics, private doctors' offices, and community clinics). They also have higher morbidity and mortality rates associated with heath compromising behaviors such as fighting, sexual activity, alcohol and marijuana use than female adolescents. Unfortunately, older adolescent males visit health care providers less than younger adolescent males, and are likely to delay seeking health services even when uncomfortable symptoms occur.

School-based clinics present numerous opportunities for involving young men in non-stigmatizing health care services that normalize connections with health care providers and services. By targeting young adolescent males as they begin their challenging transition into adulthood, possibilities are created for introducing new patterns of involvement in clinical health services, e.g. obtaining annual health screenings and periodic screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea.

With funding from the DHHS Office of Population Affairs, Office of Family Planning, a male health educator was placed in one inner-city school-based clinic operated by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health and New York Presbyterian Hospital in order to develop activities for adolescent males. This paper describes some of those interventions targeted at engaging (e.g. after-school basketball tournaments) and sustaining involvement (e.g. computer-assisted small group work) of young males in health services at the clinic, with a focus on reproductive health. The paper also will present demographic characteristics, reproductive and other health behaviors of males who use the clinic.

Learning Objectives:

• At the end of this session, participants will be able to describe the prevalence of reproductive health compromising behaviors among young adolescent males, list barriers to accessing reproductive health services in a school-clinic setting, as well as describe and discuss interventions that engage and sustain involvement of young adolescent males in reproductive health services in school-based clinic settings.

Keywords: Adolescents, Reproductive Health

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.