Objective: To evaluate the role of the PSI condom social marketing program in STD/HIV protection in Zimbabwe. Methods: We use a 6-week prospective cohort study with interviewer-administered daily questionnaires, conducted in 1999 among 222 sexually active male workers aged 20-35. The study covers 9,324 person-days, and a reported 4,601 sexual contacts (47.3% with a spouse, 31.6% with regular non-marital partners, and 21.1% with casual partners). Results: Overall, 48.8% of all sexual contacts were protected: 34.6% by social marketed condoms, 4.6% by commercial brands, and 9.6% by free condoms. Sexual contacts with spouses were less likely to be protected (11.0%) than those with regular non-marital partners (77.1%) or casual partners (90.8%). Sexual contacts for each partner type were more likely to have been protected by social marketing condoms, than commercial or free condoms. For example, the 55.6% of sexual contacts with casual partners were protected by the social marketing brand, compared to 9.7% by commercial brands, and 25.5% by free condoms. The social marketing program was very effective at protecting high-risk encounters, but this was achieved at the expense of less precise targeting. For example, 34.0% of all social marketed condoms were used with casual partners, compared to 56.4% of all public sector condoms and 44.5% of all commercial condoms. Conclusion: Among these male workers in urban Zimbabwe, condoms protected half of all sexual contacts and most contacts with regular non-marital and casual partners. These high levels of protection were largely achieved through use of social marketed condoms.
Learning Objectives: At the end of the session, the participants will be able to: 1)articulate the role of social marketing in STD/HIV protection in Zimbabwe, and 2)discuss the effectivenss of the social marketing program in protecting high-risk sexual acts
Keywords: Social Marketing, Condom Use
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Population Services International
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.