Center for Disease Control
Division of Reproductive Health  
www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/DRH/index.htm

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/repro/

Dept of Urology and the Center for Idiopathic Male Infertility at the University of  Kansas Medical Center. www.kumedurology.com and http://www2.kumc.edu/cimi/outreach.html

Mission:
Our mission is to undertake a multi-disciplinary approach to improve men’s reproductive health from adolescence onwards through surveillance, research, education and intervention in the clinical setting and in the community. We seek to understand the male reproductive health behavior and knowledge, attitudes and beliefs that lead to this behavior. This will lead to development of best practices to prevent and screen health conditions that might affect by male reproductive health, or might be caused by it, and will facilitate a unified approach to public, provider and government awareness, education and action.

Objectives:

1. To understand the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of men in the reproductive years on issues such as self examinations for testis cancer detection; safe sexual behavior; STI/HIV prevention; contraception and male infertility (work by MHN and AFA)

2.. To study the current sexual behavior patterns and diseases of men in the reproductive years (CDC demographic and public health data)

3. To educate the public from middle school through post-college on male reproductive and men’s health to increase awareness, change behavior, prevent disease and screen for it. (Outreach programs to high schools, patients and providers; event planning; website development and media endeavors)

4. To educate medical providers about the reproductive needs and perspectives of men and develop best practices and novel means to change behaviors and practices in order to prevent, detect and  treat diseases associated with male reproduction (MRHA stakeholder meeting being held at CDC, SSMR).

5. To understand the consequences of male reproductive behavior on health status (e.g. unwanted/unplanned pregnancies, diseases as a result of sexual practices, infertility treatments/use of ART with cost to society)

6. To change health care policy as it relates to men’s reproductive health (white paper, congressional champions, development of mandated coverage for infertility etc)

Goal:
To improve men’s reproductive health through public health surveillance, research, education and programs

Upcomming meeting of MRHA at the CDC with national leaders in the field of male reproduction: http://www.cdcmrhmeeting.com/

Male Reproductive Health Definition

WHO Definition of Reproductive Health:
Within the framework of WHO's definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, reproductive health addresses the reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life. Reproductive health, therefore, implies that people are able to have a responsible, satisfying and safe sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so.  Implicit in this are the right of men and women to be informed of and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of fertility regulation of their choice, and the right of access to appropriate health care services that will enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth.
Specific MRH focus areas from J Am Coll Health. 2001 May;49(6):253-66 definition:
(The journal refers to Male Reproductive and Sexual Health (MRSH) in their definition)

• Medical (pathophysiological) matters
• Sexually transmitted infections(STIs)
• Developmental anomalies
• Malignancy
• Trauma
• Infertility
• Psychosocial concerns:
• Sexuality
• Contraception
• Disease prophylaxis
• Developmental and lifecycle issues
• Tobacco and drug use
• Gender identity and sexual orientation
• (College) health services
• Offer men screening;
• Clinical diagnosis and treatment for MRSH (MRH?) conditions
• Information, education, and counseling services

Additional aspect of definition to consider from last week’s MRHA call discussion.

• Functions of reproduction are healthy
• Minimize behaviors and activities harmful to reproductive health