Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Michael Reece, PhD, MPH and Debby Herbenick, PhD, MPH. Applied Health Science, Indiana University, HPER 116, Bloomington, IN 47405, (812) 855-0068, mireece@indiana.edu

BACKGROUND: Significant resources have been dedicated to the promotion of condoms and, in particular, the distribution of free condoms to those at highest risk for HIV and STD infection. However, little is known about the venues through which men actually access condoms. METHODS: Data collected from 1,851 men from 50 U.S. states who regularly used condoms were analyzed to explore their trends in accessing free and purchased condoms. RESULTS: While men reported similar trends in purchasing condoms via drugstores and Internet sites, heterosexual men more often reported purchasing them from large chain retail stores and grocery stores than gay and bisexual men (p < .05). Regarding free condoms, gay and bisexual men acquired them from sexual partners, community health fairs, and venues such as adult bookstores and sex clubs while heterosexual men were more likely to get them from friends and health providers (p <.05). Younger men more often accessed free condoms than older men (p < .05), and college students reported high rates of condom access through friends, at campus health clinics, and dorm-based events. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest important differences in the nature of the venues through which men access condoms and, given that these men were regular condom users, support the continued dissemination of free condoms, particularly to gay and bisexual men and those in college. Findings also suggest that public health providers may want to engage more with sex-related businesses to reach high HIV prevalence communities.

Learning Objectives: Participants will be able to

• Describe the condom access trends of men who regularly use condoms for sexual intercourse with others.
• Describe differences between trends in condom purchasing and free condom access based upon the men's sexual orientation and other demographic factors.
• Describe the implications of the findings for continued condom distribution efforts in the United States.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered