Context: Because condoms prevent the transmission of most STIs, one is needed whenever there is a risk of contracting an STI. Many successful programs for increasing condom use exist, but many people still do not use condoms when they should. Current annual use is estimated at 6-9 billion condoms. Estimating the total number of condoms that are needed helps to assess how well programs are doing on a global level, and to gauge how much more effort is needed.
Methods: Available demographic and coital frequency data are used to calculate total condom need among married men within marriage, married men having extra-marital sex, and unmarried men.
Results: Annually, 3 billion condoms are needed among married couples, 3.8 billion are needed for married men in extra-marital sex, and 17 billion condoms are needed among unmarried men, totaling to a global need for 24 billion condoms.
Conclusions: The gap between condom use and need is at least 15 billion condoms per year. The primary cause for this large discrepancy is not lack of production capability, but rather insufficient demand for condoms. This gap is an indication of the magnitude of how much condom use must increase globally to prevent STIs and unwanted pregnancies. To close the gap between actual use and needed use, proven methods of increasing condom use, particularly among unmarried men, should be pursued.
Learning Objectives: By the end of this session, participants will be able to explain how many condoms are needed to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS. They will be able to identify which demographic groups condom promotion programs should concentrate to be most effective and compare current global condom use with the total number of condoms needed. Further, they will be able to assess, on a global level, the extent of condom promotion still needed
Keywords: Condom Use, STD Prevention
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.