Patterns of condom acquisition by condom using men in the United States

Background: Condom distribution programs have strived to make condoms more accessible to sexually active individuals, particularly adolescents and populations disproportionately impacted by HIV and other STI. Despite such programs, little is known about where condom using men in the United States acquire their condoms. Methods: Data were collected from 1,832 men from all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia using an internet-based survey where men provided details regarding the source of condoms that they had used within the past 30 days. Results: Men reported acquiring their condoms from a variety of sources including free condom distribution programs (56.7%) and from venues where they had purchased condoms for themselves (75.7%). Bivariate analyses indicated that participants who reported using free condoms tended to be younger, self-identified as non-heterosexual, or not currently in a monogamous relationship. Further, those participants who only accessed free condoms did not differ from those who only used purchased condoms indicating that perhaps efforts to make condoms more accessible through public health distribution campaigns are reaching a more general population of condom-using men than expected. Conclusions: Findings illustrate the importance of continuing free condom distribution efforts but also suggest benefits of facilitating linkages between public health and a community's retail venues in order to increase access to the growing diversity of condoms in the marketplace.