 |
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
|
The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Theresa Hatzell, PhD, MPH, Health Services Research, Family Health International, P.O. Box 13950, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, (919) 544-7040, thatzell@fhi.org and Paul Feldblum, PhD, Clinical Research Department, Family Health International, P.O. Box 13950, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709.
Eight years following the female condom’s FDA approval, program planners are still uncertain about whether the device should be included as an STI/HIV prevention option. Given the female condom’s high cost, decision makers require definitive evidence regarding such issues as the female condom’s efficacy in preventing STI transmission and undesired pregnancy; the effect of its introduction on overall levels of protection relative to those provided by the male condom alone; its public health impact, measured in terms of changes in STI prevalence; the nature of promotion and education strategies that achieve optimal uptake; the ideal approaches for targeting the female condom so that it serves as a complement to, rather than substitute for, the male condom; and the cost-effectiveness of adding the female condom to male condom distribution programs. This presentation will summarize the current body of knowledge on these issues, identify remaining gaps in knowledge, and suggest a research agenda for answering outstanding questions. It will conclude with comparisons to the strength of evidence guiding male condom programming and policymaking.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Condom Use,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.