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Published on: July 6, 2014
Does a choice of condoms impact sexually transmitted infection incidence? A randomized, controlled trial
Markus J Steiner1, Tina Hylton-Kong, J Peter Figueroa
1Family Health International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27707, USA. msteiner@fhi.org
Objective:
The objective of this study was to assess whether providing a choice of condoms would increase condom acceptability, increase self-reported use, and decrease incident sexually transmitted infection.
Study:
We randomized 414 men presenting with urethral discharge in Jamaica to receive either the "standard" clinic condom or a choice of 4 different types of condoms. Men were treated presumptively at enrollment and followed up at 1, 2, 4, and 6 months.
Results:
Participants in the choice group had a strong preference (P <0.01) for the most popular condom available in Jamaica. This preference did not translate into higher condom use (P = 0.16). The 6-month cumulative probability of first incidence of gonorrhea, chlamydia, or trichomoniasis was slightly higher in the choice group (21%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 15-28%) versus the control group (17%; 95% CI, 11-23%); the difference in the survival curves was not significant (P = 0.35).
Conclusion:
A choice of condoms may increase perceived acceptability but not lead to increased condom use and subsequently lower sexually transmitted infection rates.
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