title: "I connect with the ringleader:" health professionals' perspectives on promoting the sexual health of adolescent males.
abstract: In-depth interviews with nine professionals in adolescent health were used to identify perceived barriers, facilitators, and innovative strategies to reach, engage, and serve adolescent males for sexual and reproductive health care. Barriers included stigma, embarrassment, and lack of social norms around sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing for men. Facilitators included crisis situations and partner support. Clinic-based approaches to reach and engage young men included developing authentic staff-youth engagement and ensuring that access to services is easy and appealing. To be innovative, providers should become part of the real-world context of adolescent males. Technology (e.g., text messaging) and social media can be utilized to target and eliminate barriers to health care among young men.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, University of Minnesota School of Nursing, 5-140 Weaver Densford Hall, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, MN, 55455.
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Stephanie J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Ptak
authors.forename: E Brooke
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Stelzer
authors.forename: Eileen M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Harwood
authors.forename: Sonya S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Brady
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012736:Sex Education
keywords: adolescent; health promotion; male; qualitative; sexual health; sexually transmitted infection; social media