title: The female condom: knowledge, attitude,and willingness to use. The first Italian study.
abstract: Women account for nearly half the people living with HIV worldwide. This situation makes it necessary to improve prevention actions targeting women: the female condom is a good option. The study was conducted, the first in Italy, in a public AIDS Center on a sample of 162 participants (66.7% female, 33.3% men) who requested the HIV test. The objectives were: assess the current knowledge of the female condom; collect information on opinions, impressions and willingness to use the female condom. Participants were administered a Lickert-scale questionnaire after post-test counselling. The results are in line with international studies and show an early positive response, characterized by interest and openness to innovation, followed by resisting to use the female condom.
authors.affiliation: Unità Operativa AIDS, Azienda Sanitaria Locale RME, Via Catone 20, 00192 Rome, Italy. lauraspizzichino@gmail.com
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Spizzichino
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pedone
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gattari
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Luzi
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valli
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rezza
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019111:Single-Use Internal Condom / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires