The Stay Safe Project

The Stay Safe Project: Perceptions of Young Black Men and Their Access to Sexual Health Services in a Community-Based Setting

Background: Research has shown that heterosexual Black males within the age range of 18-24 have higher rates of STI prevalence and engage in higher rates of risky sexual behavior.

Purpose: Barriers and facilitators of sexual health service use were explored among young heterosexual Black men in (metro) Detroit and how they are affected by clinic use and access to care.

Methods: To answer this question, online focus group discussions were conducted to gather data from young Black men who effectively use sexual reproductive healthcare (SRH) services and those who do not to identify barriers and people’s strategies for circumventing them. Participants were recruited via snowballing methods and through flyers, email listservs, the UMHealth research website, and social media sites, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter using sponsored promotional ads and customized links.

Results: The preliminary results, including a demographic survey and qualitative transcriptions from these focus groups, survey results [n=489] indicated the most used healthcare sites, top reasons for going to the health clinic, the average number of visits to the clinic, and more. The survey results [n=32] were eligible to participate in focus groups and provided information about access and their experiences when receiving care in Detroit. Community mapping indicated sites around Detroit where young men accessed SRH resources beyond the clinic.

Conclusion: This information will be used to develop a pilot intervention for this population. The Stay Safe project will contribute to strategies for encouraging sexual well-being, clinic use, and appropriate linkage to sexual reproductive health care services among young, heterosexual Black males.

social media metrics and customize URLs were created to track engagement, reach, and unique clicks for the recruitment and follow-up of the study.