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

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• 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

Öz

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.

Anahtar Kelimeler

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

Kaynakça

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