Researchers at Johns Hopkins University analyzed data from 1700 young men ages 15 to 19 years old and found that the boys with the most traditional beliefs about manhood were less likely to visit a doctor. Traditional beliefs were measured by affirmative answers to questions like "Is it essential for a guy to get respect from others?"
If a teenage boy did visit a doctor, he was unlikely to discuss issues such as birth control and sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS. The researchers also reported that while girls openly discuss topics like sex and menstruation with their mothers and physicians, boys do not usually have such discussions with parents or health care providers.
This study appears in the April issue of Pediatrics.
If your son is too cool to talk to a doctor, then how do you get him to open up? Equine therapy and outdoor therapy are two great ways to get teens to work on their issues and get to healthy place in their lives. Learn more at Animal-AssistedTherapy.com and WildernessProgramsInfo.com.
Labels: health, teenagers, communication
Posted By: Aspen Education Group