This resource examines issues surrounding sexual health in adolescent and young adult (AYA) males and highlights gaps in care and the need for more sexual education in this population. Studies show that use of sexual and reproductive health care services by young males is low, for a variety of reasons. Principal among these is the fact that the components of young men’s sexual and reproductive health care have been poorly defined and have historically received little attention.
In addition, data show that primary care providers are 3 times more likely to take sexual health histories from female patients than male patients and twice as likely to counsel female patients on the use of condoms. Finally, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are more likely to be asymptomatic among males.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sexual education is critical for adolescents. Many adolescents, however, do not have access to such services in schools, or they do not seek them out. For example, only 2% of schools across states and 12% of schools across large urban school distributes provide condoms to students. School-based sexual health services recommended by the CDC include not only condom availability programs but screening for sexually transmitted diseases (STIs) and sexual health awareness campaigns.
The principal purpose of this resource is to educate parents and others about the dangers to health and wellbeing that young adult males may face if they lack support and care for or education about their sexuality and issues related to it. Our goal also is to provide resources that parents can use to take action to address those gaps.