Factors associated with symptoms of reproductive tract infection/sexually transmitted infection and treatment seeking behavior among men in Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action paid attention to male sexual and reproductive health issues including RTI/STI as well as infertility, sexual dysfunction and sexual violence. In India, male reproductive health problems had been recognized as a public health issue. This paper is an attempt to examine the determinants of prevalence of RTI/STI and treatment seeking behavior and their socio-economic and demographic characteristics in Tamil Nadu, India by using the data of the District Level Household Survey-Reproductive and Child Health Survey, 2002-04. The logistic regression and multinomial logistic regression models were used to determine factors associated with symptoms of RTI/STI and treatment seeking behavior for RTI/STI symptoms respectively. The study results indicated that about 2.8% of respondents reported at least one symptom of RTI/STI. One-fifth (19.5%) of them had reported two or more symptoms. Among those who reported symptoms, 45.5% of men sought treatment from some sources. Multivariate analysis revealed that men residing in the Inland region, belonging to Muslim, men with high standard of living, and aware about HIV/AIDS were sig-nificantly less likely to report symptoms of RTI/STI. Men whose wife reported experience of symptoms of RTI/STI are significantly more likely to report symptom of RTI/STI. Further, men whose wife experienced symptoms of RTI/STI, and who ever discussed RTI/STI symptoms with their wife were significantly more likely to seek treatment from pubic as well as private health facility. The study suggests that there is an urgent need to address public health care services and a need to take necessary steps to provide quality health care and user friendly sexual and reproductive health care services.

South East Asia Journal of Public Health Vol.4(2) 2014: 7-15