Talking About Diagnostic Tests For Medical Care
About Me
Talking About Diagnostic Tests For Medical Care

Hello, my name is Gregory. When I was a young lad, I had to enter the health care world in an unexpected way. I developed a serious disease out of the blue that took doctors by surprise. I went through so many different testing procedures before my doctors could diagnose the rare disease. Everyone around me reeled as they tried to understand the purpose and process of the diagnostic tests. I hope to help others understand these important tests better through this website. Please come by often to learn all you need to know about medical diagnostics and working closely with health care professionals.

Talking About Diagnostic Tests For Medical Care

Overcoming The Gender Differences In Reproductive Health Care

Nanja Bongers

As access to medical services has increased, more and more women are getting better access to reproductive and sexual health related services. Unfortunately, the same cannot not be said about young men. If this gender difference is not narrowed, or completely eliminated, it will pose a risk to the gains that have been made in many areas of women's health. If you are a parent of a young male, you need to ensure that the male in your life is seen by a medical professional at least annually.

Services That Every Man Needs

If you were to initiate a conversation with the average person, male or female, they would probably be able to tell you many of the annual exams that are needed by young women. Unfortunately, when you turn the conversation to the needs of young men, many people do not even feel comfortable discussing, yet alone have a full understanding about the needs of this population. Just like young females, there are many annual preventative healthcare services that young males need to avail themselves to. These should include but not be limited to:

  • A comprehensive physical exam, which should include screenings for any type of mental disorders. These screenings should also include drug and alcohol use. The U.S.Department of Health and Human Services, estimates that 1 in 5 teens under the age of 17 have some type of diagnosable mental health or substance disorder.
  • An annual comprehensive clinical exam which should include a full sexual health assessment. This assessment should exam sexual practices, as well as sexual partners. Studies have shown that doctors are far more likely to take a sexual health history from a teenage girl than they are from a teenage boy.
  • Screening for HIV, HPV, and other sexually transmitted infections. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that approximately one half of all new sexually transmitted diseases were acquired by young people between the ages of 15-24. Young males, as well as young females need to understand the ramifications of what sexually transmitted diseases could mean to their reproductive health.
  • Discussions should take place to explore family planning. Relevant preconception health needs should be addressed. Discussions should empower the young man in your life to have a say so about whether or not he will become a parent before he is ready.

Although it may not be a part of the full exam, your practitioner should ensure that there is counseling in place to discuss safe sex practices, pregnancy prevention, sexual identity, and even sexual dysfunction. Many of these are topics that young male children may not feel comfortable discussing with, or even in the presence of a parent.

Why It Is Important

There are many myths that surround the subject of reproductive health in males. Offering open honest frank discussions will help to dispel some of these myths.

  • Working with the young teenage population offers opportunities to create healthy habits that will last a lifetime and have an impact not only on their lives, but on the lives of their friends and their prospective female partners.
  • Early identification of sexual habits allows you to do more in the line of prevention. By encouraging safe sexual practices, information, along with immunizations for HPV, you may make a difference in the number of new cases of sexually transmitted diseases. 
  • By taking them to the doctor when they are young, you teach them how to access medical services when they are older.

Above all else, it shows the young male child in your life that you care enough to ensure that they receive the best in medical care. Click here for info on family health services.


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