Men Are Unlikely To Protect Themselves, Or Their Partners, From HPV
Posted by: Carrie Wasterlain
Filed in:
news
12:00PM, Friday June 5th 2009
An HPV vaccine for men is likely to be approved in the next year, but according to a recent study, men are fairly unlikely to get the shot, even if told it would help protect their female partners against cervical cancer. Sadly, we’re not surprised. Many men won’t sport a rubber to protect themselves and their ladies (yes I know I’m generalizing here), why would we expect them to get poked by a needle?
The research team who conducted the study marketed the HPV vaccination to males in two ways; one message pushed a self-protection method that focused on the benefits for the men themselves, while the other stressed the benefits their partners would reap. Both groups averaged around a 3.5 on a scale of 1 to 6 of how inclined they would be to walk to the doc and get injected.
Mary Gerend, an assistant professor at Florida State who collaborated on the study, interpreted the results similarly. “Thinking about the benefit to their own health — protection against rare genital cancers and genital warts — is all men really need to know; telling them all that extra stuff really isn’t going to push them one way or another,” she explained.
In other words, since most men who carry HPV never develop health problems (aka genital warts) from the STD, they’re unlikely to care very much about prevention—either for themselves or their sexual partners. The study will help marketers when it comes to selling the male HPV vaccine, but other than that, the findings only help to reinforce the assumption that (some) men are selfish and lazy. Either that, or they’re petrified of a little prick!
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Riley
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 12:10 pm: [report]
I’d be down to get it. To be honest, I’d need someone to tell/remind me to get it; can’t remember my keys, much less remembering to make an appointment for a vaccination.
CheeeeEEEEse
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 12:13 pm: [report]
If I’m getting poked by a needle you’re gonna get poked by something else.
EastCoastMale
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 12:17 pm: [report]
I cant say that I would or wouldnt get it. I wont even get started about my views on condoms.
writergirl
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 12:23 pm: [report]
Men don’t go to the doctor when they are on death’s door—why would they go for a vaccine?
Carrie Wasterlain
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 12:23 pm: [report]
I’m actually not exactly pro-condom either. But I’m definitely STRONGLY against genital warts.
brandyalexander
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 12:31 pm: [report]
The thing is (I was horrified to learn), condoms do not neccesarily prevent HPV, because it is a virus of the skin, and no fluid transmission is neccesary to contract it. Also, if you are sexually active, you have an 80% chance that you already have it and don’t even know. The kind that gives you warts does NOT lead to cancer, but the kind with no symptoms does. So, if you’re in the right demographi, just get the vaccine (women under 26). If not, make sure you are getting tested yearly!
Carrie Wasterlain
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 12:41 pm: [report]
Oh, when I said the line about condoms, I meant to protect gals from pregnancy and other STDS, not HPV. But yes, get the vaccine and get tested!!
EastCoastMale
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 12:46 pm: [report]
sexually selective here and I am glad for that reason…
brandyalexander
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 01:03 pm: [report]
@ Carrie: agreed!
subpar
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 01:11 pm: [report]
The only way to be safe is to go to the doctor regularly, uncomfortable as that is. I don’t get why people get shy about going to the doctor, but feel perfectly fine banging whoever. Be mature about it, get tested, do what you can to prevent catching something and spreading something. If you don’t mind being infected, that’s cool, but spare the people who don’t want to catch your #&@$%.
HitOrMissJudy
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 02:01 pm: [report]
A friend is dating a guy who gave his ex-wife HPV, which he picked up cheating on her 24/7. Not only is he unapologetic about that, but he insists on not using condoms with my friend. What she sees in that guy, I will never know.
sam04
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 02:33 pm: [report]
I hate getting a yearly physical, but I suck it up and get it done because it’s the responsible thing to do.
I’m not sure how I feel about the HPV vaccine at the moment. I’d want to do some research on it before I subjected myself to that. However, I’m not currently sleeping with anyone so it’s not really a pressing matter.
I think a lot of people don’t really take STIs seriously. Sure, some of them are treatable, but others are going to cause problems you have to deal with for the rest of your life. I like to remind myself that every time you have unprotected sex, you’re having sex with everyone your partner has ever had sex with. Gross.
downtheroad
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 03:35 pm: [report]
I told my ex I was diagnosed with condyloma and he expected me to tell him what to do. I don’t even understand where it came from since we were both totally new to everything. No skin-to-skin contact with anyone else. Anyway, but I told him because I thought he should know so he could be checked, but he expected me to keep him up to date. Whatever.
marv3mania
wrote on June 5 2009 @ 07:46 pm: [report]
I will gladly get the vaccine. The thought of giving a disease which can cause cervical cancer to a woman I care about is quite unappealing.