Risky Business: Increasing Fertility Knowledge of Men in the General Public Using the Mobile Health Application Infotility XY

doi:10.1177/15579883211049027

. 2021 Sep-Oct;15(5):15579883211049027.

doi: 10.1177/15579883211049027.

Risky Business: Increasing Fertility Knowledge of Men in the General Public Using the Mobile Health Application Infotility XY

Katya Kruglova^{1

2}, Eden Noah Gelgoot^{1

2}, Peter Chan^{3

4}, Kirk Lo^{5

6}, Zeev Rosberger^{1

7

8

9}, Emilie Bélanger^{1

2}, Jordana Kazdan^{1

2}, Stephanie Robins^{1

2}, Phyllis Zelkowitz^{1

7}

Affiliations

¹ Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada.
² Department of Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada.
³ McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁴ Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁵ Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁸ Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁹ Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.

PMID: 34697968
PMCID: PMC8552396
DOI: 10.1177/15579883211049027

Risky Business: Increasing Fertility Knowledge of Men in the General Public Using the Mobile Health Application Infotility XY

Katya Kruglova et al. Am J Mens Health. 2021 Sep-Oct.

. 2021 Sep-Oct;15(5):15579883211049027.

doi: 10.1177/15579883211049027.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada.
² Department of Psychiatry, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, QC, Canada.
³ McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁴ Department of Surgery, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁵ Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
⁶ Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
⁷ Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁸ Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.
⁹ Department of Oncology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada.

PMID: 34697968
PMCID: PMC8552396
DOI: 10.1177/15579883211049027

Abstract

Male infertility presents a public health concern. As most men wish to become fathers, it is important to increase men's awareness of infertility risk factors. We developed a mobile health application (mHealth app), Infotility XY, to promote men's reproductive health. This study evaluates whether use of the app led to increased knowledge of infertility risk factors, and whether knowledge change was associated with participants' sociodemographic characteristics and/or app usage. Participants were recruited between August and October 2020. Eligibility criteria included: identified as male; 18-45 years old; childless; no infertility history; able to read and write in English/French; had internet access. We assessed participants' fertility knowledge before and after app use. App usage data were captured during the 2-week intervention period. Our sample included 49 men aged 18-45. Seventy-eight percent of participants had not previously sought fertility information. Participants viewed on average 75% of the app's articles, and 96% of participants said the app increased their fertility knowledge. Before app use, 55% of men said they were aware of infertility risk factors, compared to 96% after app use. Men correctly identified more risk factors after app use compared to before, t(48) = 8.28, p < .001. Participants' sociodemographic characteristics and amount of app usage were not associated with knowledge change. This study provides evidence of the feasibility of an mHealth app to improve men's awareness of infertility risk factors. Given the positive relationship between male reproductive health and overall health, increased awareness of infertility risk factors may lead to men's improved overall health.

Keywords: app intervention; fertility knowledge; infertility risk factors; mHealth; male infertility.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

**Figure 1.**
Flowchart of study procedures and measures.

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References

1. Agarwal A., Mulgund A., Hamada A., Chyatte M. R. (2015). A unique view on male infertility around the globe. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 13, Article 37. 10.1186/s12958-015-0032-1 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Baker P. (2019). Who self-cares wins: An updated perspective on men and self-care. Trends in Urology and Men’s Health, 10(3), 19–22. 10.1002/tre.694 - DOI
1. Barratt C. L., De Jonge C. J., Anderson R. A., Eisenberg M. L., Garrido N., Rautakallio Hokkanen S., Krausz C., Kimmins S., O’Bryan M. K., Pacey A. A., Tüttelmann, F., & Veltman, J. A. (2021). A global approach to addressing the policy, research and social challenges of male reproductive health. Human Reproduction Open, 2021(1), hoab009. 10.1093/hropen/hoab009 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
1. Baskaran S., Finelli R., Agarwal A., Henkel R. (2020). Diagnostic value of routine semen analysis in clinical andrology. Andrologia, 53(2), e13614. 10.1111/and.13614 - DOI - PubMed
1. Boivin J., Koert E., Harris T., O’Shea L., Perryman A., Parker K., Harrison C. (2018). An experimental evaluation of the benefits and costs of providing fertility information to adolescents and emerging adults. Human Reproduction, 33(7), 1247–1253. 10.1093/humrep/dey107 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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[1] Agarwal A., Mulgund A., Hamada A., Chyatte M. R. (2015). A unique view on male infertility around the globe. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 13, Article 37. 10.1186/s12958-015-0032-1 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[2] Agarwal A., Mulgund A., Hamada A., Chyatte M. R. (2015). A unique view on male infertility around the globe. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 13, Article 37. 10.1186/s12958-015-0032-1 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[3] Baker P. (2019). Who self-cares wins: An updated perspective on men and self-care. Trends in Urology and Men’s Health, 10(3), 19–22. 10.1002/tre.694 - DOI

[4] Baker P. (2019). Who self-cares wins: An updated perspective on men and self-care. Trends in Urology and Men’s Health, 10(3), 19–22. 10.1002/tre.694 - DOI

[5] Barratt C. L., De Jonge C. J., Anderson R. A., Eisenberg M. L., Garrido N., Rautakallio Hokkanen S., Krausz C., Kimmins S., O’Bryan M. K., Pacey A. A., Tüttelmann, F., & Veltman, J. A. (2021). A global approach to addressing the policy, research and social challenges of male reproductive health. Human Reproduction Open, 2021(1), hoab009. 10.1093/hropen/hoab009 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[6] Barratt C. L., De Jonge C. J., Anderson R. A., Eisenberg M. L., Garrido N., Rautakallio Hokkanen S., Krausz C., Kimmins S., O’Bryan M. K., Pacey A. A., Tüttelmann, F., & Veltman, J. A. (2021). A global approach to addressing the policy, research and social challenges of male reproductive health. Human Reproduction Open, 2021(1), hoab009. 10.1093/hropen/hoab009 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[7] Baskaran S., Finelli R., Agarwal A., Henkel R. (2020). Diagnostic value of routine semen analysis in clinical andrology. Andrologia, 53(2), e13614. 10.1111/and.13614 - DOI - PubMed

[8] Baskaran S., Finelli R., Agarwal A., Henkel R. (2020). Diagnostic value of routine semen analysis in clinical andrology. Andrologia, 53(2), e13614. 10.1111/and.13614 - DOI - PubMed

[9] Boivin J., Koert E., Harris T., O’Shea L., Perryman A., Parker K., Harrison C. (2018). An experimental evaluation of the benefits and costs of providing fertility information to adolescents and emerging adults. Human Reproduction, 33(7), 1247–1253. 10.1093/humrep/dey107 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[10] Boivin J., Koert E., Harris T., O’Shea L., Perryman A., Parker K., Harrison C. (2018). An experimental evaluation of the benefits and costs of providing fertility information to adolescents and emerging adults. Human Reproduction, 33(7), 1247–1253. 10.1093/humrep/dey107 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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Risky Business: Increasing Fertility Knowledge of Men in the General Public Using the Mobile Health Application Infotility XY

Affiliations

Risky Business: Increasing Fertility Knowledge of Men in the General Public Using the Mobile Health Application Infotility XY

Authors

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Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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Conflict of interest statement

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