title: Everywhere you go, everyone is saying condom, condom. But are they being used consistently? Reflections of South African male students about male and female condom use.
abstract: Young men in South Africa can play a critical role in preventing new human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, yet are seldom targeted for HIV prevention. While reported condom use at last sex has increased considerably among young people, consistent condom use remains a challenge. In this study, 74 male higher education students gave their perspectives on male and female condoms in 10 focus group discussions. All believed that condoms should be used when wanting to prevent conception and protect against HIV, although many indicated that consistent condom use was seldom attained, if at all. Three possible situations for not using condoms were noted: (i) when sex happens in the heat of the moment and condoms are unavailable, (ii) when sexual partnerships have matured and (iii) when female partners implicitly accept unprotected sex. Men viewed it as their responsibility to have male condoms available, but attitudes about whose decision it was to initiate condom use were mixed. Almost all sexually active men had male condom experience; however, very few had used female condoms. Prevention initiatives should challenge traditional gendered norms that underpin poor condom uptake and continued use and build on the apparent shifts in these norms that are allowing women greater sexual agency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. jem57@columbia.edu
authors.forename: Joanne E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mantell
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: Mags
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beksinska
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scorgie
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milford
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Balch
authors.forename: Zonke
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mabude
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams-Skinner
authors.forename: Theresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Exner
authors.forename: Susie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: Zena A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Stein
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D019111:Single-Use Internal Condom / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005783:Gender Identity; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011275:Pregnancy, Unwanted / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology; D013019:South Africa; D055815:Young Adult