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Greetings!
We're excited to announce a new chapter in the work of The Partnership for Male Youth: research on young male health. Our first research briefs, focusing on health conditions more common among young males, are now available on our website page Research. Bringing together CDC surveillance, federal statistics, and peer-reviewed studies, our briefs show that young males ages 10 to 25 carry a markedly heavier burden than their female peers across injury, violence, suicide, and HIV, in some cases six to eight times greater. Among 15- to 19-year-olds, the male homicide rate is more than six times the female rate. Young males also account for nearly nine of every ten new HIV diagnoses among 13- to 24-year-olds. Many other risks go undetected, including depression that shows up as anger or risk-taking rather than sadness, eating disorders and steroid use, and HPV infections that can progress to cancer with no screening test to catch them.
That said, it is important to be clear about where the pattern runs the other way. As examples, adolescent girls are more likely than boys to have a substance use disorder, and girls have higher concussion rates in sports both sexes play. Girls also report more bullying and sexual violence. In sum, a full picture of youth health needs both halves.
The risks for young males are compounded by gaps in care. Young males are less likely than young females to have a regular source of care, receive preventive services, or complete recommended vaccines, and only 6% have been tested for a sexually transmitted infection in the past year, compared with 17% of young females. Research like this is how we make the case that young male health deserves recognition as a distinct field of practice, research, and policy, and we look forward to sharing much more in the months ahead. We invite you to explore the briefs and share them with colleagues.
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