It is because we want you to be healthy, not because we think you are "dirty", duh!!

So after the readings and lecture I feel as though I have a better grasp on the type of project my group will be doing. Since our topic is increasing Gardasil vaccinations in men 19-26, I feel for the most part that we will be dealing with a population that is not very involved with the subject matter. From working at Planned Parenthood I have talked with plenty of men who are unaware of HPV and the harm that it can cause. I feel like a lot of men see HPV as something that can only affect women, when in reality it affects us all. Men and women can get genital warts from certain strains of HPV, not to mention the guilt of giving a possible cancer causing virus to a loved one. Therefore we will have to find a way that will catch the attention of the target population and make them not only remember the ad, but also what we want them to do. Some of the ads that we watched in class touched a lot of emotions, but for some of them at the end I was thinking, "okay what am I supposed to do again." I think we will be dealing with a large range of "stages of readiness to change" in our target population. Some men could be at a Planned Parenthood clinic and see an ad about the Gardasil vaccine being available and just get it because it is not out of their way; but then others who have never been to a sexual health clinic and feel very shy about the topic or feel as though everyone will think they have a sexually transmitted infection (STI) if they do go to a clinic, will have numerous barriers to address. What comes to mind with our Gardasil campaign is "why would you not get a proven vaccine?" We have to get around the fact that some people see getting a vaccine for a sexually transmitted virus makes them think that other people will judge them, and think they are "dirty" or "promiscuous". I feel like this is always the battle with campaigns related to STIs. Our job is to make them feel like they need to get the Garadsil vaccine for their's and their partner's health, not because we think they are "dirty".

Another day, another sexual health battle.