Murphy S, Miller LC, Clarke L, Moore J; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 212 (abstract no. 14147).
Annenberg School for Communication USC, Los Angeles, USA.
OBJECTIVES: To assess level of interest and characteristics of women most interested in female-controlled methods for HIV/STD prevention. METHOD: 170 African-American women, 18 to 32 years old, living in the greater Los Angeles area who had unprotected sex and at least 3 sexual partners in the last 2 years were surveyed with regard to their sexual history, recent practices, and preferences for features of HIV/STD prevention methods. RESULTS: Out of 44 potential features for HIV/STD prevention methods, the average rating of "female control" (i.e., a method women control by either wearing or applying it) was 22nd in importance with concerns regarding adverse physical side effects, effectiveness, and pregnancy prevention rated as most important. The distribution of responses to the "female control" item was bimodal with the majority of Rs either rating female control as highly important to them (a 9 or 10.42%) or relatively unimportant (a 6 or below, 35%). Comparisons between these two groups revealed that women for whom female control was important: 1.) had significantly fewer sex partners in the past year (M = 2.62 vs. 4.64, p < .01), 2.) had fewer STDs (p < .05) and, 3.) were more likely to use male condoms on a frequent basis (M = 4.69 vs 3.19 on a 5-point scale). Moreover, women for whom female control was relatively unimportant were not unaware of their HIV/STD risk, rather they accurately perceived themselves to be significantly more likely to contract HIV or other STDs in their lifetime than women who rated female control as very important. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that female control may be of interest to a substantial percentage of women in their selection of a HIV/STD prevention method but, ironically, may be of lesser interest to women most at risk for HIV and other STDs. These data underscore the need to take the priorities and preferences of at risk women into consideration when developing and marketing new HIV/STD prevention methods.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- African Americans
- Condoms
- Condoms, Female
- Female
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- Los Angeles
- Male
- Pregnancy
- Sexual Partners
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- methods
Other ID:
UI: 102228017
From Meeting Abstracts