title: The female condom: attitudes and experiences among HIV-positive heterosexual women and men.
abstract: The female condom is a potentially effective method for the prevention of HIV, other sexually transmitted disease, and pregnancy. This study describes attitudes toward and experiences with the female condom of 89 HIV-positive individuals (n = 56 women; n = 33 men) reporting heterosexual behavior. Qualitative interviews were conducted to inform the design and implementation of a cognitive-behavioral risk-reduction and health-promotion intervention. Most respondents (n = 78) had seen or heard of the female condom. However, relatively few (n = 14 women; n = 5 men) had used it at least once. Reactions from both women and men across user groups, regardless of favorable or unfavorable attitude or experience with the female condom, centered around a similar set of factors: aesthetics, difficulties with the male condom, male partner reaction, beliefs about efficacy, and lack of training. These findings underscore the need for additional research and comprehensive education efforts aimed at both technical use and communication skills-building in order to realize the potential of the female condom as an alternative barrier method.
authors.affiliation: HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York 10032, USA. aeh25@columbia.edu
authors.forename: A Elizabeth
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hirky
authors.forename: Sheri B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kirshenbaum
authors.forename: Rita M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Melendez
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rollet
authors.forename: Stefanie L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Perkins
authors.forename: Raymond A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D019111:Single-Use Internal Condom / Q000600:supply & distribution; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology* / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D017008:Negotiating; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D014481:United States