Preconception health indicators among adult US men: Race/ethnicity variations and temporal trends

Adaobi Anakwe; Kasim Ortiz; Milton Kotelchuck; Rhonda BeLue

doi:10.1111/andr.13573

Preconception health indicators among adult US men: Race/ethnicity variations and temporal trends

Andrology. 2023 Dec 19. doi: 10.1111/andr.13573. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Adaobi Anakwe¹, Kasim Ortiz¹, Milton Kotelchuck², Rhonda BeLue³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health Management and Policy, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
² Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
³ College for Health, Community and Policy, University of Texas San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA.

PMID: 38114443
DOI: 10.1111/andr.13573

Abstract

Background: Preconception health is important for men as it is for women. However, optimizing preconception health is understudied among men.

Objectives: To examine the time trends and temporal shifts in preconception health risk indicators among 20-44-year-old adult US men in need of preconception care and their racial/ethnic variations.

Materials and methods: Data from the 2011-2019 National Survey of Family Growth male file was used to estimate the prevalence of nine preconception health indicators among men (20-44 years) intending to have a future pregnancy (n = 6813), stratifying by race/ethnicity, and assessing temporal changes across the study period. Binary logit and linear regression models estimated temporal trends from 2011-2013 to 2017-2019. Absolute and relative changes were estimated to detect temporal shifts in men's preconception health comparing 2011-2013 to 2017-2019.

Results: Men in all groups exhibited substantial preconception health needs, with unique trends across race/ethnicity groups. Between 2011 and 2019, the prevalence of marijuana use (28.6%-39.4%, p = 0.001), overweight/obese status (60.7%-65.1%, p ≤ 0.001), and the mean number of preconception health indicators (M = 2.69-2.84, p = 0.018) increased. Among non-Hispanic White men, the prevalence of marijuana use (30.1%-41.4%, p = 0.028), overweight/obese status (60.6%-63.7%, p = 0.002), and mean number of preconception health risk indicators (M = 2.74-2.90, p = 0.033) increased. Among Hispanic men, the prevalence of inconsistent/no condom use (68.9%-81.4%, p = 0.022), marijuana use (18.9%-40.4%, p = 0.001), and the mean number preconception health risk indicators (M = 2.50-2.96, p = 0.014) increased. Among non-Hispanic Black men, sexually transmitted infections declined (5.4%-3.6%, p = 0.002). Significant temporal shifts, which varied by race/ethnicity, were also observed.

Discussion and conclusion: Our study, which provides initial insight into men's preconception health development in the last decade, highlights a tremendous need for preconception health care among men. Their increasing preconception health needs, and their racial/ethnic variations, suggest additional contributors to racial/ethnic differences in men's reproductive outcomes and their long-term health.

Keywords: NSFG; men's health; preconception health; racial/ethnic disparities; reproductive health; trends.