The female condom: Dynamics of use in urban Zimbabwe

In July 1997, Population Services International (PSI), at the request of the Zimbabwe National AIDS Coordination Programme, launched a social marketing program for the female condom in Zimbabwe. The campaign's intended audience was women in long-term relationships. To avoid the stigma associated with condoms and the prevention of sexually transmitted infections, PSI marketed the female condom as a family planning product under the brand name Care™. Approximately one year after the start of the female condom social marketing campaign, the Horizons Program and PSI conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional study of female condom users, male condom users, and nonusers of either barrier method. At the time of the study, the female condom was being marketed in urban Zimbabwe through radio, TV, and print media, and sold through selected sales outlets, including pharmacies, large supermarkets, and convenience stores at a subsidized price. As stated in this brief, the goal of this research was to increase understanding of the patterns and dynamics of female condom use to inform policymakers and program planners involved in decisions about promotion and distribution of the female condom in Zimbabwe.