[Reproductive health and risk as perceived by low-income Brazilian men]

Studies in the field of reproductive health discuss existing gaps in traditional research models, which neglect not only social and cultural aspects but also ethical and philosophical ones. Such aspects cut cross over the definition of essential themes for reproductive health research, like sexuality, reproduction, and gender. The search for connections between the two disciplines (Social Science and Public Health) relates to how people and social groups limit and deal with the risks they face. In this study, we analyze the perception of risk in reproductive health among a group of low-income men from Rio de Janeiro. The group was interviewed during a study on male contraception. The objective was to identify the situations and contexts from which the problem (and the contents ascribed to it) emerge. One can conclude from the interviews that there is a risk hierarchy which is modified according to cultural values and relational, institutional, and social contexts.