Association between number of sexual partners and utilization of family planning and sexually transmitted infection services by men aged 15–44 in the United States

Unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) pose a huge public health problem in the United States. Efforts towards reducing unintended pregnancies have previously focused on women, but the role of men in family planning and preventing unwanted pregnancy is becoming clearer. The primary objective of the study was to fully examine the utilization of family planning services by men in the US, and to determine whether factors such as race, health insurance type and number of sexual partners influenced their utilization and receipt of family planning services and STI-related health services. Data were from the 2006-2010 National Survey on Family Growth (NSFG) study conducted in the US. The study sample comprised 7686 men aged 14-44 who ever had sex with women, and who had had at least one sexual partner in the 12 months before the survey. The receipt of family planning and STI-related health services by this group of men was estimated. The results showed that non-Hispanic Black men were more likely to receive family planning and STI-related services than Hispanic and non-Hispanic White males. Given that non-Hispanic Black men are disproportionately affected by STIs and are a high-risk group, the finding that this group received more family planning and STI services is a positive step towards reducing the disproportionately high prevalence of STIs in men in this under-privileged population.