Published online Oct 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i10.546
Revised: June 4, 2014
Accepted: July 27, 2014
Published online: October 16, 2014
AIM: To understand and analyze what young Italian males attending high school would like to ask andrologists but do not know how to or do not have the courage to do so.
METHODS: As part of our “Androlife” campaign, we invited 1565 students attending the last year of high school to participate in our research. Firstly, they attended a lesson on general and andrological health and then, on a voluntary basis, they responded to a survey and were subjected to a preventive andrological visit.
RESULTS: The data analysis showed that the main topics in which young people are interested are: sexual activity and sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases, andrological health and fertility, and lifestyle.
CONCLUSION: This study highlights that young people are very interested in sexual health issues and that they have specific needs and interests with regard to sexual health information. Public education campaigns such as Androlife should be supported and further improved on the basis of the advice received by young participants. Sexual and reproductive health education targeting adolescents and young adults represent the basis both for wellness and for fertility preservation, and thus benefits of increased support to educational campaigns would be apparent not only in terms of individual health but also in terms of cost reduction in public spending.
Core tip: This article considers the questions young people are most frequently asking. It can be considered an innovative paper because in Italy and other countries many of these topics are considered taboo. Moreover, in this article we underline that the benefits of increased support for educational campaigns would be apparent not only in terms of individual health but also in terms of cost reduction in public spending.