Cleophas Frisch B, Obasi A, Rwakatare M, Magadulla A, Alex R, Charles J, Balira R, Tudo J, Ross D; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 2000 Jul 9-14; 13: abstract no. ThPpC1498.
B. Cleophas Frisch, PO Box 1482, Mwanza, Tanzania, United Republic of, Tel.: +255 68 50 0220, Fax: +255 68 50 0742, E-mail: amrefmza@africaonline.co.tz
Background: The majority of Africans live in rural areas so that, despite lower prevalences, a significant proportion of HIV transmission takes place in village settings. Young people and adolescents are at particular risk of HIV and other STDs and least likely to be in permanent sexual relationships, making condoms an good method of contraception as well as HIV and STD prevention. However, condom use in rural areas is not well described. In order to better understand condom availability, cost, uptake, awareness and attitudes to their use, a needs assessment was conducted in six villages in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. Methods: Structured interviews were conducted with 106 youths, 56 adults & 14 condom vendors in one central and one peripheral village in 3 wards participating in a community randomised trial which aims to evaluate the impact of a targeted intervention on adolescent reproductive health. Results: Most youths had heard of condoms and knew what they were used for, but they believed that most people do not use them. The commonest reason given was that they decrease or prevent pleasure. Many youths believed that condoms had holes, spread HIV or cause infertility. Young men thought it significantly more likely that a girl would be thought promiscuous if she used a condom than would a boy, and 10% of boys thought that a boy using a condom would be thought stupid because he would not be getting full value for the cost of having sex with a girl. Condoms were completely unavailable in peripheral villages, and were available in very few outlets in larger villages where they were almost universally sold at twice the manufacturer's recommended retail price. Most youths wanted a targeted condom distribution strategy although this was more true for boys than for girls. Conclusions: Condom accessibility is very poor in rural areas. Adolescent need a "youth-friendly" condom distribution mechanism and education to counter the widespread misconceptions about condoms and their use.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Attitude
- Behavior
- Condoms
- Contraception
- Female
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Humans
- Interviews as Topic
- Male
- Rural Population
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Tanzania
- education
Other ID:
UI: 102241825
From Meeting Abstracts