The benefits of school-based condom availability: cross-sectional analysis of a comprehensive high school-based program.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the benefits of a school-based condom availability program relative to the risks that such a program may incur.


METHODS
A confidentially-administered survey instrument was completed by 152 randomly selected high-school students (approximately 14% of the entire student population).


RESULTS
The respondents had a mean age of 15.9 years (range: 14-19 years) and a proportionate gender distribution. Ninety-three percent of all respondents had "heard of" the school's program and knew from whom they could receive condoms. Twenty-six percent of the respondents had received condoms from the program with 67% using them. Of those receiving condoms but not using them, more than half did not need them, owing to absence of anticipated sexual activity. Of the nonreceivers, 53% had never had sexual intercourse and 27% received condoms from other sources. The benefit of the program by aiding a sexually-active student was found to be more than three times as great as the risk of encouraging a nonsexually active student to have sexual intercourse (RR = 3.2; 95% C.I. = 2.1, 4.9). The prevalence of sexual activity among all respondents was not significantly higher than the state's average based on gender and age (59.8% vs. 54.5%; z = 1.24, p > .05, n.s.).


CONCLUSIONS
Given the lack of increased sexual activity and the favorable benefit-risk ratio, we conclude that school-based condom availability is successfully utilized by sexually-active adolescents and may be an effective means to reduce potentially harmful outcomes, such as unintended pregnancy and sexually-transmitted diseases.
Wolk
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Dept. of Pediatrics, Presbyterian/St. Luke's Medical Center, Denver, CO 80218, USA.
Rosenbaum
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D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003191:Comprehensive Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017280:Condoms; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires