Sexual Minority Men’s Perspectives and Experiences of Adolescent Pregnancy Risk and Pregnancy Prevention Behaviors

ABSTRACT

Sexual minority men (e.g., gay, bisexual, queer) are more likely than heterosexual men to be involved in an adolescent pregnancy, but little research has been done on the context surrounding this disparity. To address this gap, and as part of the larger Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Pregnancy Experiences (SLOPE) Study, semi-structured interviews and descriptive surveys were conducted with 10 cisgender sexual minority men, ages 29–49, from across the United States. Interview transcripts were analyzed using immersion/crystallization and template organizing style methods, and themes were organized into a conceptual model describing sexual minority men’s debut sexual activity and decision-making experiences during adolescence. This model depicts three themes: 1) partnership and negotiation of sexual experiences, 2) psychological processes related to development, pregnancy, and sexuality, and 3) cultural and environmental contexts. These three themes are contextualized by a throughline of transformative life events (i.e., the existence and chronology of life-impacting events). Findings indicate a complex interplay of psychological (e.g., developmental processes surrounding sexuality and sexual orientation), social (e.g., personal relationships), and policy-level factors (e.g., sex education) influence sexual minority men’s sexuality and pregnancy prevention decision-making during adolescence. Care should be taken to consider and include sexual minority men in pregnancy prevention messaging and education.

Acknowledgments

Dr. Tabaac was supported by grant number F32HD100081 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health. Dr. Charlton was supported by grant number MRSG CPHPS 130006 from the American Cancer Society. Dr. Charlton was also supported by grant number F32HD084000 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health. Additionally, Dr. Katz-Wise was supported by grant T71MC00009 from the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration. Additional SLOPE funds were provided by grant SHPRF9-18 from the Society of Family Planning, the Aerosmith Endowment Fund for Prevention and Treatment of AIDS and HIV Infections at Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Boston Foundation. The authors thank Mandy Coles, Courtney Brown, Fareesa Hasan, Cassandra Jonestrask, Killian Ruck, Megan Duffy, and Brett Nava-Coulter for their many contributions in coordinating SLOPE including participant recruitment, conducting interviews, and figure preparation. The authors especially thank the SLOPE participants for sharing their stories.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Supplementary Material

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the American Cancer Society [MRSG CPHPS 130006]; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development [F32HD084000,F32HD100081]; Maternal and Child Health Bureau [T71MC00009]; Society of Family Planning [SHPRF9-18], the Aerosmith Endowment Fund for Prevention and Treatment of AIDS and HIV Infections at Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Boston Foundation.