Barcelona 2013
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| Abstract #235 - E-Posters English | ||||
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Session: 50.108: E-Posters English (Poster) on Sunday in Chaired by Authors: Presenting Author: Prof Leickness Simbayi - HSRC, South Africa |
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| Additional Authors: Dr. Jordi Casabona, Sra Cristina Sanclemente, Dra. Anna Esteve, Dra. Victoria Gonzalez, Grupo HIVITS TS, | ||||
| Aim: Male condoms remain a key tool in stopping the spread of HIV and the female condom (FC) holds similar potential. However, very little is known about both the national prevalence of FC knowledge and use in South Africa and hence the present study. | ||||
| Method / Issue: Secondary data analysis was performed on data that were collected through a cross-sectional population-based household survey which was conducted by the HSRC and its partners in 2008. Initial analysis was performed on data obtained from both males and females who had been sexually active in the last 12 months and were aged 15 years or older (n=7727) while subsequent analysis was conducted on data obtained from female sub-sample (n=4551). | ||||
| Results / Comments: Though knowledge of the FC among sexually active females over the age of 15 years in South Africa is relatively high at 77.74%, use remains low at 7.15%. The present study found that there are statistically significant associations between knowledge or use of the FC and several demographic variables for females in South Africa. Having heard of the FC was consistently associated with locality, province, age, race, education level, marital status and employment status. Use of the FC, however, was only associated with province, age group, race, and education level. Moreover, many demographic groups exhibited a high level of knowledge but a low level of use; and conversely, a low level of knowledge but a high level of use compared to their counterparts. | ||||
| Discussion: The data presented highlighted misconceptions of acceptability in demographics with low levels of knowledge and high levels of use, and suggests that if FCs were more widely available in South Africa females would probably use them more, thereby offering women a form of contraception and STI risk-reduction that is female-initiated. | ||||
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