Young men's experiences with STI testing in British Columbia, Canada

Many Canadian youth face serious health and social problems related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Reported rates of STIs are high and rising in and young men account for an increasing proportion of cases. While a strong public health impetus exists to prevent and treat STIs, the needs of young men regarding STI testing services are poorly understood. We examined young men’s experiences with STI testing services, as well as the socio-cultural and structural factors that influence young men’s sexual health-seeking behaviours. In-depth interviews were conducted with 45 men (ages 15-25) from five urban and rural communities in,. Our research reveals how structural forces (e.g., specimen collection; health care service delivery systems) interact with socio-cultural factors (e.g., gender relations; culture) to shape young men’s experiences with STI testing. STI testing was characterised as both a potentially sexualized experience (e.g., fears of getting an erection during genital exams; homophobic anxieties towards same-sex service providers), and as a process where young men experience multiple vulnerabilities associated with exposing the male body in service sites that are predominantly female-oriented spaces. Most men were unfamiliar with STI testing procedures and their descriptions of some clinical encounters revealed how testing can create potentially stigmatizing situations for them. In response, many drew on dominant ideals of masculinity to reaffirm their gender identity and to distance themselves from various forms of sexual stigma. This research offers insights into the contextual underpinnings of men's non-participation in STI testing, which may be useful in developing new, men-centred sexual health promotion interventions and services.