Table 1 Considerations for research and programming for selected self-care interventions to support men’s sexual and reproductive health and rights
Type of self-care intervention | Considerations for a self care agenda for men’s sexual and reproductive health and rights | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
People centred | Quality health system | Safe and supportive environment | Behaviour change communication | |
Condom use | Comprehensive sexuality education for all young people can build the foundation of safer sex practices (including condom use) and healthy relationships (including safer sex communication) to highlight that condoms protect for HIV alongside other sexually transmitted infections, and pregnancya Increased access to condoms and water- and silicone-based lubricants through diverse outlets, including outside of traditional health facilities.b | Access and promotion of condoms for diverse men within health care settings and through community health workers Condom availability at sexual and reproductive health clinics to link to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV tests, treatment and prevention services Extension of health services to provide condoms in non-traditional settings where men congregate | Supportive laws and policies for diverse men (and women) for the possession of condoms and lubricants Reduced stigma and discrimination experienced by MSM, transgender men, along with reducing other intersecting forms of stigma, such as sex work stigma and racism, as well as within people with a migration background Actively working towards a human-rights based approach to eliminate policies which criminalize practices such as carrying condoms | Social marketing tailored to reflect the priorities, preferences and experiences for diverse men (including sexually, gender, and racially diverse) to support condom uptake |
HIV self-testing | Campaigns can highlight the benefits of autonomy, build self-efficacy for testing, and increase availability for self-tests (e.g. free or very low cost) to lower access thresholds for testing Increased awareness, knowledge and access to HIV self-testing options for men and boys from vulnerable populations, such as sex working men | Established links to confirmatory testing; treatment, if needed; and, services to support prevention strategies, including pre-exposure proplylaxis for HIV-negative men Knowledge-sharing and information campaigns, including brief sexuality counselling and communication programmes [37] | Increased number of health workers trained and supportive agencies for men who are diverse men Reduced stigma and discrimination experienced by diverse vulnerable and marginalized men, including sex workers and men-who-have-sex-with-men Understand and address men’s barriers/facilitators to self-testing, and preferred delivery methods and points of access | Targeted outreach for key populations and higher-risk populations with brief sexuality communication HIV self-testing kits provided to women at health facilities to encourage men to test at home with a view to monitor and prevent potential undesired increases on the burden on women, including potential increase in violence |
Telemedicine and digital platforms for sexual health | Telemedicine to link clients and providers with tailored information and services where and when they need it | Data security, particularly for vulnerable and marginalized men, and strengthened linkages among medical laboratories, facilities, practitioners and pharmacies | Delivery of sexual and reproductive health services through digital health technologies, for increased accessibility, safety and privacy Reduced intersectional stigma and discrimination experienced by men | Can use motivational prompts, behavioural science Link to common uses of technology by men, including online dating services Can address how men are affected by images and messages of dominant masculinity norms |