title: Failure of many United States Department of Health Web sites to provide accurate information about the female condom.
abstract: Uptake of the female condom (FC) in the United States has historically been low; inadequate promotion may be one barrier faced by potential users. We performed a content analysis of state and municipal health department Web sites to describe how the FC is being promoted for pregnancy and disease prevention. We found that only a slim majority (60.8%) of health department Web sites mention the FC at all and those that do include numerous inaccuracies in their messaging. These inaccuracies may discourage uptake of the FC or have a detrimental impact on the experience when using the product for the first time.
authors: Doctor of Public Health Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York School of Public Health, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016; New York Medical College School of Health Sciences and Practice, Department of Epidemiology and Community Health, Valhalla, NY 10595. Electronic address: cventura@gc.cuny.edu.
authors: Christina
authors: C
authors: Ventura-DiPersia
authors: Doctor of Public Health Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York School of Public Health, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016.
authors: Kristina
authors: K
authors: Rodriguez
authors: Doctor of Public Health Program, The Graduate Center, City University of New York School of Public Health, 365 5th Ave, New York, NY 10016; Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, School of Urban Public Health, Hunter College & CUNY School of Public Health, City University of New York, 2180 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10035; HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors: Elizabeth A
authors: EA
authors: Kelvin
mesh_terms: D019111:Single-Use Internal Condom; D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D006307:Health Systems Agencies / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D014481:United States
keywords: Contraception; DOH Web sites; Department of health; Female condom; Online health information