142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

Annual Meeting Recordings are now available for purchase

306038
Perceptions of Sex and Sexual Health among College Men: Implications of Maladaptive Habits in Physical and Social Relationship Formation

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Kathy Rovito, MPH, CHES, FMHI , Loma Linda University, Orlando, FL
Michael J. Rovito, PhD, FMHI , Department of Health Professions, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Frank Johnson, PhD , Department of Public Health and Social Work, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
Amy Elliott, BA, MPH(c) , University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL
Fear, vulnerability, stigma, and masculinity are important concepts to consider when promoting health among males. However, most health education efforts targeted towards males, particularly college-aged males, do not fully grasp the influence of these variables upon men to assist with them adopting healthier romantic and sexual relationships.

This discussion presents trends from a university-based seminar during the 2011-2012 academic year conducted with college students on maladaptive sexual habits, including promiscuity, subjective norms of sex and relationships, alcohol abuse, and inconsistent STD protection, as they pertain to physical and social relationships. Approximately 225 college-aged men and women attended the seminar. A particular emphasis was placed on perceived masculinity and gender roles within the social environment and how they influence physical and social relationship formation.

 The seminar was a first step for future effectiveness testing of message-delivery systems in relationship and sexual health behavioral modification research among college men. This paper presents lessons learned from this exploratory approach in community health outreach efforts. We advocate that such seminars can be an efficient and effective way to raise awareness and promote wellness among male college students.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Advocacy for health and health education
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Discuss salient variables in sexual relationship formation and execution among a cohort of college students. Further, we aim to help explain current male-based perspectives of relationship-formation and execution.

Keyword(s): Men’s Health, Sexual Risk Behavior

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I publish in competitive journals in men's health and am the primary investigator on projects related to male health behaviors and their associated outcomes.
Any relevant financial relationships? Yes

Name of Organization Clinical/Research Area Type of relationship
Men's Health Initiative male health Fellow

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.