Simultaneous use of multiple condoms among male Cambodian military personnel visiting female sex workers.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of simultaneous use of multiple condoms (SUMC) and identify the characteristics of the multiple condoms users.


METHODS
Cross-sectional survey among military men from a purposively selected Cambodian military region. Military men were interviewed face to face.


RESULTS
From the 1638 respondents, 40% never had sex with female sex workers (FSWs), 55% had used condom(s), and 5% had unprotected sex at their last encounter with a FSW. Among those reporting sex with FSWs, 21% had used multiple condoms simultaneously at their last sex with a FSW.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with single condom users, multiple condom users were younger, had lower rank, had first sex more recently, had lower knowledge of HIV transmission, had received less HIV peer-education sessions, were more likely to have visited multiple FSWs, and were more likely to have sought their HIV serostatus. As it is unknown if SUMC increases or decreases condom effectiveness, more research is needed to investigate the effect of SUMC on condom failure rates.
Morineau
Guy
G
Family Health International, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. gmorineau@fhi.or.id
Prybylski
Dimitri
D
Song
Ngak
N
Natpratan
Chawalit
C
Neilsen
Graham
G
D000328:Adult; D002160:Cambodia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011477:Sex Work; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D047568:Unsafe Sex