Health-Related Lifestyles, Substance-Related Behaviors, and Sexual Habits Among Italian Young Adult Males: An Epidemiologic Study

Luca Flesia; Francesca Cavalieri; Stefano Angelini; Gioia Bottesi; Marta Ghisi; Enrico Tonon; Agustina Perez Roldan; Andrea Di Nisio; Andrea Garolla; Alberto Ferlin; Carlo Foresta

doi:10.1016/j.esxm.2020.03.003

Lifestyle and Environment · Substances

Health-Related Lifestyles, Substance-Related Behaviors, and Sexual Habits Among Italian Young Adult Males: An Epidemiologic Study

Flesia L, Cavalieri F, Angelini S, Bottesi G, Ghisi M, Tonon E, Roldan AP, Di Nisio A, Garolla A, Ferlin A, Foresta C

Published September 2020 Sexual medicine

DOI 10.1016/j.esxm.2020.03.003 PMID 32389594 PMC PMC7471067

RRM Academy Synopsis

Young Padova-area men report frequent drinking and few semen exams

4 out of 10 surveyed men reported drinking alcohol 5 to 7 days weekly, according to an online questionnaire of 2,170 Italian male high school seniors aged 18 to 21. The survey explored lifestyles, substance-related behaviors and sexual habits. Fewer than 1 out of 10 surveyed men reported a past semen examination.

Key Findings

40.2% declared drinking alcohol on 5 to 7 days in a week, 45.8% on fewer than 5 days, and 14% reported no lifetime alcohol use.
33.8% of the 1,665 respondents to the tobacco questions had smoked at least once, and 71.0% of those reported smoking every day. Current substance use was reported by 32.9% of participants.
92.9% reported some physical activity during the week, and 54.2% reported more than 3 hours a week. A Mediterranean diet was declared by 90.3% of the 1,550 respondents to the diet questions.
At least one sexual dysfunction was reported by 318 participants (14.7% of the overall sample), and 52.2% declared having had sexual intercourse.
Only 4.8% reported a past seminal liquid examination, and 9.4% (204 participants) reported having varicocele.

Interpretation

The study is a descriptive survey of 2,170 males in their last year of high school in the Padova area, run in the 2016 to 2017 school year. The authors wrote the 39-question online questionnaire themselves, and it is not validated. They note that an online format cannot confirm that answers are reliable or that students understood the questions. Comparisons with other countries are only partly valid, because other studies used different ages and mostly included females. The authors recommend that future studies look at how lifestyle, substances and sexual habits relate.

RRM Context

Restorative reproductive medicine is couple-centered. The male partner's health history belongs in the first evaluation. That history includes alcohol, tobacco and substance use, sexual function and past semen tests. The survey reports how often young men in the Padova area describe each one.

Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.

Abstract

Introduction

Young adult males are more likely to demonstrate health-risk behaviors than other individuals. The use of specific data about health-risk behaviors within this population might be important to promote effective preventive psychosocial and educational programs and interventions.

Aim

To provide a detailed description of health-related lifestyles, substance-related behaviors, and sexual habits that can negatively affect fertility, sexual sphere, and health in a large sample of Italian young adult males.

Methods

A sample comprising 2,170 males aged 18-21 years, attending the last year of high school, was administered an online questionnaire made up of 39 multiple-choice questions. The questionnaire explored health-related lifestyles, substance-related behaviors, and sexuality and sexual habits. Descriptive analyses were conducted.

Main Outcome Measures

The outcome measures included data about health-related lifestyles, substance-related behaviors, and sexuality and sexual habits reported by Italian young adult males.

Results

Health-related lifestyles: 92.9% of the sample reported practicing some physical activity during the week. 90.3% declared a Mediterranean diet and 8.1% a hyperproteic diet. Substance-related behaviors: 33.8% of the sample reported having smoked tobacco at least once in their lives; among them, 71% reported current daily smoking. 40.2% declared drinking alcohol from 5 to 7 days in a week. 32.9% of the sample reported currently using a substance. Sexuality and sexual habits: 97.1% of the sample self-defined themselves as heterosexual. 73.3% of participants rated their knowledge about sexuality as "excellent/good," 58.7% about sexually transmitted infections. Only 4.8% reported having had a seminal liquid examination. Half of the sample (52.2%) declared having had sexual intercourses, in the largest proportion protected sex. 14.7% of the sample reported having at least one sexual dysfunction. 88.6% of participants reported having used pornography, 18.7% every day.

Conclusion

The present study highlighted the need to empower the number and efficacy of preventive interventions to promote health-related behaviors among Italian young male population. Flesia L, Cavalieri F, Angelini S, et al. Health-Related Lifestyles, Substance-Related Behaviors, and Sexual Habits Among Italian Young Adult Males: An Epidemiologic Study. Sex Med 2020;8:361-369.

Topics

Lifestyle and Environment Substances Tobacco and Nicotine

Lifestyle and Environment › Substances › Tobacco and Nicotine

Luca Flesia, Francesca Cavalieri, Stefano Angelini, Gioia Bottesi, Marta Ghisi, Enrico Tonon, Agustina Perez Roldan, Andrea Di Nisio, Andrea Garolla, Alberto Ferlin, Carlo Foresta

L Flesia, F Cavalieri, S Angelini, G Bottesi, M Ghisi, E Tonon, A Roldan, A Nisio, A Garolla, A Ferlin, C Foresta

PMID 32389594 32389594 DOI 10.1016/j.esxm.2020.03.003 10.1016/j.esxm.2020.03.003 Flesia et al. 2020, Flesia 2020

Health-Related Lifestyles, Substance-Related Behaviors, and Sexual Habits Among Italian Young Adult Males: An Epidemiologic Study

Young Padova-area men report frequent drinking and few semen exams

Key Findings

Interpretation

RRM Context

Abstract

Topics

By this author

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