title: An evaluation of the condom distribution scheme (C-Card) with young people in Northeast England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate a local C-Card scheme from the perspectives of young people in order to determine how well it had worked in improving access to condoms and in providing young people with appropriate information to make healthier choices around safer sex.
  
  
  METHODS
  Secondary analysis of a year's worth of existing registration and monitoring data routinely collected by the C-Card scheme, two focus group discussions with 14 young people (eight males and six females) and a short questionnaire-based survey of 55 young people.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The evidence suggested that the C-Card scheme is an effective tool for ensuring that young people know how to use a condom correctly. Ease of access and increased knowledge were key issues of effectiveness to emerge from the findings. The scheme also served as a mechanism for young people to be referred on to other sexual health services and the data appear to indicate that this was something that was taken up by young people.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The young people who used C-Card generally viewed the scheme as an effective mechanism in terms of accessing condoms and the number of outlets available for acquiring condoms. In order for C-Card to become successful with young people, advertising needs to be improved to increase their awareness of the scheme.
authors.affiliation: Research Assistant, Leeds Metropolitan University, UK.
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kinsella
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: South
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002755:Choice Behavior; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015397:Program Evaluation; D021841:Safe Sex; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: C-Card; access; condom distribution; evaluation; sexual health; young people