ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Women account for nearly half the global population of persons living with HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa women constitute 60% of adults living with the virus. The situation makes it necessary to develop and improve prevention actions that target women. The female condom is a practical option. It is the only available dual protection method that protects against sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies, and is designed for women to initiate.
Objective: This study evaluated female condom acceptability in Francistown, Botswana. The main aim of the study was to examine female condom uptake among female health workers. The study also assessed beliefs held by health workers regarding the condom.
Research Design: The research design employed was the survey method. Seventy-one participants were enrolled. Participants were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire which consisted of demographic characteristics, and attitudes and perceptions of female condom use.
Results: The study found that 15.5% of women had used the female condom in the previous month, 12.9% had used the condom in the previous 3 months, and 17.2% had used the female condom in the previous 12 months. The study also showed that the majority of participants believed the female condom was readily available (71.4%) and that it empowered women (63.3%), and the majority of women (78.9%) would recommend its use. However, only 22.8% believed that the female condom was better than the male condom, 28.6% believed it was easy to use, and only 9.8% thought it was popular with clients. The majority (53.5%) believed the female condom was not well promoted and (56.3%) of participants did not know if sex with the female condom was as good.
Conclusion & Recommendation: Female condom use by female health workers was low. There is need for more research to examine why the condom is not acceptable among female health workers. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Bykans die helfte van die wêreldbevolking wat MIV-positief is, is vroue. In sub-Sahara Afrika beslaan vroue 60% van die volwasse bevolking wat met dié virus saamleef. Hierdie toedrag van sake noodsaak die ontwikkeling en verbetering van voorkomingsaksies wat op vroue gerig is. In dié verband is die vroue-kondoom ongetwyfeld 'n praktiese oorweging. Dit is die enigste, beskikbare tweeledige beskermingsmetode wat seksueel oordragbare infeksies en ongewensde swangerskappe verhoed en dit is ontwerp om deur die vrou geïnisieer te word.
Doelwit: Hierdie studie het die aanvaarbaarheid van vroue-kondome in Francistown, Botswana, geëvalueer. Die belangrikste mikpunt van die studie was om die aanvaarbaarheidsgraad van die kondoom onder vroue-gesondheidswerkers vas te stel. Die studie het ook die beskouinge van die vermelde vrouewerkers met betrekking tot dié kondoom geassesseer.
Navorsingsontwerp: Die navorsingsontwerp waarvan gebruik gemaak is, was die opname-metode en 71 deelnemers is betrek. Deelnemers is versoek om 'n selfopgestelde vraelys te voltooi wat uit demografiese eienskappe, asook houdings en persepsies oor die gebruik van die vroue-kondoom bestaan het.
Resultate: Met die studie is bevind dat 15.5% vroue die vroue-kondoom in die vorige maand gebruik het, 12.9% het dit in die vorige drie maande gebruik, en 17,2% het die kondoom in die vorige 12 maande gebruik. Die studie het ook getoon dat die meerderheid deelnemers (71.4%) glo die vroue-kondoom is geredelik beskikbaar, dat dit vroue bemagtig (63,3%), en dat die meerderheid vroue (78.9%) die gebruik daarvan sou aanbeveel. Maar, slegs 22.8% was van mening die vroue-kondoom is meer geskik as die manlike kondoom, 28.6% was die mening toegedaan dat dit maklik is om te gebruik, en net 9.8% het gemeen dit is gewild onder kliënte. Die meerderheid (53.5%) het die mening gehuldig dat die vroue-kondoom nie aggressief genoeg bemark is nie
en 56.3% van die deelnemers was nie bewus of seks waartydens van die vroue-kondoom gebruik gemaak word, ewe genotvol was nie.
Afsluiting & Aanbeveling: Die gebruik van die vroue-kondoom deur vroulike gesondheidswerkers is gering. Dit is nodig dat nog navorsing gedoen word om te bepaal waarom die vroue-kondoom basies nie onder vroue-gesondheidswerkers aanvaarbaar is nie. Description:
Onyango, Robert David
Pinto, Joyce Wanjiru
Banda, Rhoda Mfune
Ali, Ali Salim
Akinyemi, Oladimeji Akeem