The awareness and use of the female condom among women at low and high risk for sexually transmitted infections in Ankara, Turkey

Year 2012, Volume: 39 Issue: 1, 9 - 15, 01.03.2012

Deniz Çalışkan Bülent Hayri Sakızlıgil Mine Esin Ocaktan

https://doi.org/10.5798/diclemedj.0921.2012.01.0086

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of awareness on female condom use in Ankara among women having low and high risk for sexually transmitted infections. Materials and methods: This descriptive study was performed between 1 March 2007 and 1 May 2007. High risk group for sexually transmitted infections were sex workers that presented to the Hospital of Venereal Disease (n=186), and the low-risk group was women that applied to a family planning outpatient clinic (n=190). Totally, 376 women completed a questionnaire administered face-to-face. Obtained data were analyzed statistically. Results: The mean age was 40.04±9.33 years, the mean duration of work was 12.32±7.36 year, 42.5% of women had sexually transmitted infections any time of life, mean number of intercourses was 12.30±6.66 per day; 59.8% cur-rently used oral contraceptive, 30.6% male condom, 5.5% tube ligation, 61.3% of women were familiar about female condom, only eight women (4.3%) used in high risk groups. The mean of age of low-risk women was 32.23±8.18 year, 5.8 of women worked out of home, 50.5% of women were graduated primary school, 2.1% of women had sexu-ally transmitted infections any time in life, currently used contraceptives were 29.2% male condom, 28.7% withdrawal, 25.3% intra uterine devices, 18.9% of women were familiar about female condom. In all, 69.4% of the high-risk group and 30.5% of the low risk groups\' women reported that they would use the female condom if counseling concerning its use were provided. Conclusion: Female condom awareness was very low among the studied women. However, if they receive counsel-ing, a half of women can use female condoms.

Keywords

Female condom, awareness, usage, sexual transmitted infections, sex worker.

The awareness and use of the female condom among women at low and high risk for sexually transmitted infections in Ankara, Turkey

Abstract

Amaç: Çalışmada Ankara İl\'inde cinsel yolla bulaşan enfeksiyonlar açısından yüksek ve düşük riskli kabul edilen iki farklı kadın grubunda kadın kondomunu duyma ve kullanma durumlarının araştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve yöntem: Tanımlayıcı tipte planlanan çalışma 01 Mart-01 Mayıs 2007 tarihleri arasında yürütülmüştür. Cin-sel yolla bulaşan enfeksiyonlar açısından yüksek riskli grup kapsamında Deri ve Zührevi Hastalıklar Hastanesi kayıtlı olan seks çalışanları (n=186), düşük riskli grup olarak bir Aile Planlaması Ünitesine başvuran (n=190) kadınlar ele alınmıştır. Katılımcı 376 kadından yüz yüze görüşme yöntemi ile bir anket formu ile veriler toplanmış ve istatistiksel analizler yapılmıştır. Bulgular: Yüksek risk grubunda yer alan kadınların yaş ortalaması 40.04±9.33, ortalama çalışma süreleri 12.32±7.36 yıldır, %42.5\'i daha önce cinsel yolla bulaşan bir enfeksiyon geçirdiğini bildirmiştir, günlük ortama cinsel ilişki sayısı 12.30±6.66\'dır, kontraseptif yöntem olarak %59.8\'i hap, %30.6\'sı erkek kondomu ve %5.5\'i tüp ligasyonunu tercih et-mektedir, %61.3\'ü kadın kondomunu duyduğunu, %4.3\'ü (8 kişi) kadın kondomunu kullandığını belirtmiştir. Düşük risk grubunda yer alan kadınların ise yaş ortalaması 32.23±8.18 yıl olup, gelir getiren bir işte çalışma oranı %5.8\'dir, %50.5\'i ilkokul mezunudur, %2.1\'i daha önce cinsel yolla bulaşan bir enfeksiyon geçirdiğini bildirmiş, kontraseptif yön-tem olarak %29.2\'u erkek kondomu, %28.7\'si geri çekme, ve %25.3\'ü rahim içi aracı tercih etmektedir, %18.9\'u kadın kondomunu duyduğunu, %1.6\'sı (3 kişi) kadın kondomunu kullandığını belirtmiştir. Bilgi, danışmanlık verildiği takdirde yüksek risk grubunun %69.4\'ü, düşük risk grubunun %30.5\'i kadın kondomunu kullanabileceklerini belirtmiştir. Sonuç: Araştırmaya katılan kadınların kadın kondomu konusundaki farkındalık oranlarının düşük olduğu ancak, bilgi almaları durumunda her iki kadından biri kadın kondomu kullanabileceklerini belirtmiştir.

Keywords

Kadın kondomu, farkındalık, bilme düzeyi, kullanma düzeyi, cinsel yolla bulaşan enfeksiyonlar, seks çalışanı.

References

• Ezzati M, Lopez AD, Rodgers A, et al. Selected major risk factors and global and regional burden of disease Lancet 2002;360(9343):1347-60.
• United Nations Population Fund. The female condom: put- ting women in control. htpp://www.unfpa.org/hiv/female. htm (accessed April 14, 2009)
• UNAIDS/WHO. The female condom: a guide for planning and programming. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2000.
• PATH, UNFPA. Female condom: a powerful tool for protec- tion. Seattle, UNFPA, PATH, 2006; 4-14.
• Hoffman S, Exner TM, Leu CS, et al. Female-condom use in a gender-specific family planning clinic trial. Am J Public Health 2003;93(11):1897-903.
• htpp://www.femidon.com.tc (accessed April 14, 2009)
• Health Ministry of Turkish Republic, Institute of Hacettepe University Population Studies. Turkish Population Health Survey 2008.
• Spizzichino L, Pedone G, Gattari P, et al. The female con- dom: knowledge, attitude,and willingness to use. The first Italian study. Ann Ist Super Sanita 2007;43(4):419-24.
• The Global Campaign for Microbicides Expanding Access to Female Condoms in Africa.www.global-campaign.org/ clientfiles/EastAfricaFemaleCondom-action.doc (accessed April 14, 2009)
• Artz L, Macaluso M, Brill I, et al. Effectiveness of an in- tervention promoting the female condom to patients at sexually transmitted disease clinics. Am J Public Health 2000;90(2):237-44.
• Okunlola MA, Morhason-Bello IO, Owonikoko KM, et al. Female condom awareness, use and concerns among Nigerian female undergraduates. J Obstet Gynaecol 2006;26(4):353-6.
• Meekers D, Richter K. Factors associated with use of the female condom in Zimbabwe. Int Fam Plan Perspect 2005;31(1):30-7.
• Lameiras Fernandez M, Failde Garrido JM, Castro YR, et al. Assessing female condom acceptability among hetero- sexual Spanish couples. Eur J Contracept Reprod Health Care 2008;13(3):255-63.
• Mantell JE, Hoffman S, Weiss E, et al. The acceptability of the female condom: perspectives of family planning pro- viders in New York City, South Africa, and Nigeria. J Urban Health 2001;78(4):658-68.
• Tran TN, Detels R, Lan HP. Condom use and its correlates among female sex workers in Hanoi, Vietnam. AIDS Behav 2006;10(2):159-67.
• Choi KH, Wojcicki J, Valencia-Garcia D. Introducing and negotiating the use of female condoms in sexual relation- ships: qualitative interviews with women attending a family planning clinic. AIDS Behav 2004;8(3):251-61.
• Agha S. Intention to use the female condom following a mass-marketing campaign in Lusaka, Zambia. Am J Public Health 2001;91(2):307-10.
• Napierala S, Kang MS, Chipato T, et al. Female condom uptake and acceptability in Zimbabwe. AIDS Educ Prev 2008;20(2):121-34.
• Rasch V, Yambesi F, Kipingili R. Acceptance and use of the female condom among women with incomplete abortion in rural Tanzania.22.12. Narrigan D. Women’s barrier contra- ceptive methods: poised for change. J Midwifery Womens Health 2006;51(6):478-85.
• Holmes L Jr, Ogungbade GO, Ward DD, et all. Potential markers of female condom use among inner city African- American women. AIDS Care 2008;20(4):470-7.
• Macaluso M, Demand M, Artz L, et al. Female condom use among women at high risk of sexually transmitted disease. Fam Plann Perspect 2000;32(3):138-44.