Male and Female Condom Use
Gaps in Research
- 1.
- Condom promotion and HIV testing aimed at serodiscordant couples, particularly those in long-term, stable relationships are needed.
- 2.
- Interventions are needed to increase condom access by women.
- 3.
- Tailored interventions are urgently needed to provide greater availability and access to female condoms, along with education and training regarding their use as an additional option to male condoms.
- 4.
- Providers and HIV testing counselors need training on female condoms to promote use.
- 5.
- Women, especially married women, ongoing education about the role of condoms in preventing HIV acquisition and transmission, along with condom negotiation skills.
1. Condom promotion and HIV testing aimed at serodiscordant couples, particularly those in long-term, stable relationships are needed. Studies found that counselors and serodiscordant couples did not understand that the HIV-negative partner could acquire HIV, even after many years and HIV-positive women reported that their husbands refused to use condoms. Fear of partner reaction was a barrier to HIV testing.
Gap noted, for example, in Rwanda and Zambia (Kelley et al., 2011); five African countries (Desgrees-du-Lou and Orne-Gliemann, 2008); Uganda (Bunnell et al., 2005); Thailand (Yoddumnern-Attig et al., 2004).
2. Interventions are needed to increase condom access by women. Studies found inadequate supplies of condoms to have protected sex.
Gap noted, for example, in Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe (Scorgie et al., 2011).
3. Tailored interventions are urgently needed to provide greater availability and access to female condoms, along with education and training regarding their use as an additional option to male condoms. Studies found that women, including female sex workers, felt that they could avoid conflict and enhance their safe sex bargaining power by using a female condom when their sexual partner refused to use a male condom.
Gap noted, for example, in Mozambique (Hayford and Agadjanian, 2010); South Africa (Scorgie et al., 2011; Mqhayi et al., 2003 cited in Mantell et al., 2005); Kenya (Brady et al., 2009); Brazil (Dias et al., 2006); Uganda (Wanyenze et al., 2011a; Green et al., 2001); generally (Hoffman et al., 2004; Green et al., 2001; Okunlola et al., 2006; Mathews and Harrison, 2006).
4. Providers and HIV testing counselors need training on female condoms to promote use. Studies found that providers and counselors need training in order to be able to promote female condom use.
Gap noted, for example, in Kenya, (Mung'ala et al., 2006); South Africa, the US, and Nigeria (Mantell et al., 2001).
5. Women, especially married women, ongoing education about the role of condoms in preventing HIV acquisition and transmission, along with condom negotiation skills. A study found that women did not believe that condoms reduce the risk of HIV transmission. Another study found that married women of alcoholic men are aware of risks of contracting HIV from their husbands but reported difficulty in negotiating condom use as well as violence.
Gap noted, for example, in India (Varma et al., 2010); Botswana (Dintwa, 2010), South Africa (Bogart et al., 2011); Guinea (Kis, 2010) and Kenya (Papo et al., 2011).