AEGiS-14IAC: Female Condoms: knowledge and usage among ArgentInean women.

14th International AIDS Conference


Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

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Female Condoms: knowledge and usage among ArgentInean women.

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. F11720)

Pagani L, Re MI, Abifadel C
Foundation for Study and Research on Women, Buenos Aires, Argentina

ISSUE: HIV/AIDS among women rapidly increased in Argentina. The men/women ratio descended from 20:1 in 1988 to 3.2:1 in 2000. The use of male condoms is sometimes an utopia among argentinean women. Female controlled methods as the female condoms are valid options although there is little promotion and now are out of the market.

DESCRIPTION: During the V National Congress on AIDS in 2001, the Foundation for Study and Research on Women (FEIM) carried out an inquiry among the participants to assess knowledge, usage and probable acceptability of the female condom (FC). An anonymus questionnaire was answered by 165 women; 89.7% had heard about FC; 71.6% had sometime seen one; only 8.8% had at least once used it. Most of them (94%) agreed that FC should be easily available and 81% considered that they could use it.

ISSUES: FC are not well known, even among those women working on AIDS, and much less it is used. Acceptability seems to depend on knowledge of the method and on availability (high cost was referred as an obstacle). Women's independance from male's will was recognised as a benefit. RECOMMENDATION: There is a need of giving information and promoting the use of FC to improve women's probability of having a safer sex. FC should be available at public health services

Keywords: AEGIS, Condoms, Female, Condoms, Knowledge, Safe Sex, HIV Infections, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, HIV Seropositivity, Questionnaires, Argentina, Human, Female, MaleKWDaegis,condoms,female,condoms,knowledge,safesex,hivinfections,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,healthknowledge,attitudes,practice,hivseropositivity,questionnaires,argentina,human,female,male

020707
F11720

Copyright © 2002 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.