Pastuszak et al.

Urologic Health.

Only 36.4% of men had knowledge of a

vasectomy as a permanent form of birth control, and only

22.0% would consider having one (Table 2). Forty per-

cent of those saying they would not consider having a

vasectomy cited not wanting a permanent form of birth

control as the reason. Among those with testicular cancer

knowledge, 51.8% received information through per-

sonal reading and 23.5% from professional experience.

Only 67.7% of young men reported knowing that men

can get testicular cancer. Additionally, 39.0% reported

not performing testicular self-examination (TSE), with an

additional 21.7% performing examinations occasionally,

but not at regular intervals.

Interpersonal Correlates

Partner Communication.

Only 57% of men discussed birth

control with their partners prior to having sex (Table 5).

Peer Norms.

The majority of peers (83.5%) encourage par-

ticipants to use condoms or other forms of birth control,

while only a minority of peers (9.1%) discourage partici-

pants from using condoms or other forms of birth control.

Violence.

Eighteen percent of participants reported hav-

ing been physically hurt by their partner at some point

during their relationship.

Community Correlates

Exposure to Community Violence.

The majority of men

(71.2%) reported having been in a fight (Table 6). Afri-

can Americans were more likely than Hispanics to have

been in a fight (78.7% vs. 57.3%, respectively,

= 0.00,

RR = 2.75, CI [1.54, 4.88]) and physically hurt by their

partner (78.9% vs. 89.3%, respectively,

= 0.04, RR =

2.23, CI [1.02, 4.88]; Table 3). A significant proportion

of men (31.1%) reported having carried a weapon, and

13.0% indicated having been shot or stabbed.

Access to Health Care.

When grouped by age, 92.7% of

18- to 20-year-olds had access to birth control, signifi-

cantly higher than the 81.3% of 21- to-25-year-olds who

had access to birth control (

= 0.01). Most men (87.5%)

had access to some form of birth control, with 33.0%

getting it from a clinic and 43.6% from a pharmacy

(Table 6). African Americans were more likely to report

using a clinic to get their birth control when compared

with Hispanics (71.1% vs. 57.6%, respectively,

= 0.23,

RR = 0.32, CI [0.32, 0.95]). When asked about health

care access, only 15.9% of young men reported having

difficulty accessing health care, with the most common

factor preventing access having been payment for health

services (70.0%), followed by lack of transportation

(27.5%).

Discussion

The purpose of this study was to examine the overall

health needs among a group of underserved minority

males attending family planning health services. The

results suggest that young males have significant gaps in

SRH-related knowledge, specifically pertaining to the

likelihood of pregnancy in female partners and condom

effectiveness. Results also suggest that young males do

not discuss contraception with their sexual partners prior

to sexual activity. This finding is supported by prior stud-

ies (Marcell & Ellen, 2012) and may be related to male

perceptions that women are responsible for providing

contraception, and to the influence of masculinity in male

Table 5.

Interpersonal Correlates (

= 258).

Question

Yes

(%)

Partner Communication

Did you discuss use of birth control with your

partner prior to having sex?

143 (57.0)

Peer Norms

Do your friends ENCOURAGE you to use

condoms or other forms of birth control?

212 (83.5)

Do your friends DISCOURAGE you from using

condoms or other forms of birth control?

23 (9.1)

Violence

Has your partner ever hit you, slapped, or

physically hurt you on purpose?

46 (18.1)

Table 6.

Community Correlates (

= 258).

Question

Yes

(%)

Exposure to Community Violence

Have you ever been in an accident or

suffered some form of trauma or injury?

53 (21.0)

Have you ever been in a physical fight one or

more times?

178 (71.2)

Have you ever carried a weapon at least one

day?

78 (31.1)

Have you ever been shot or stabbed?

33 (13.0)

Access to Health Care

In the past year, did you ever need to go to

the doctor or hospital but had difficulty? If

so, why so difficult? (Mark all that apply)

40 (15.9)

Payment

28 (10.6)

Identification issues

9 (3.4)

Transportation

11 (4.2)

Hours of the clinic/hospital

7 (2.7)

I have not had to go to the doctor/hospital

in the past year

111 (42.0)

Other

1 (0.4)

Do you have access to condoms or other

forms of birth control?

223 (87.5)

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