Gender differences in cues that affect condom use among adolescents in Lomé, Togo.
A population-based sample study of adolescent women and men from Lomé, Togo, was conducted to examine their responses to personal experiences with AIDS. Information was obtained on youth reproductive health knowledge, attitudes and practices, including attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and personal experience with AIDS. Multivariate results demonstrate that an important factor that distinguishes adolescent male condom users from non-users of condoms is the knowledge of someone who died of AIDS. Conversely, personal experience with AIDS was unrelated to reported condom use among adolescent women. The results illustrate that reproductive health programmes directed towards adolescents need to target men with messages different from women. Sexually active men respond to personal experience with AIDS by adopting condoms whereas women may have less control over condom use and have other strategies such as abstinence and fidelity to protect themselves from AIDS and unintended pregnancies.
Speizer
Ilene S
IS
Virginia Commonwealth University, USA. isspeizer@vcu.edu
Mullen
Stephanie A
SA
Vignikin
Emilien K
EK
Kouwonou
Kodjovi
K
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003463:Cues; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012071:Religion and Sex; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D014037:Togo / Q000453:epidemiology