Network articles from June 2003

Network archives from June 2003

The "ABC to Z" approach: condoms are one element in a comprehensive approach to HIV/STI prevention. (Introduction).
June 22, 2003... Male condoms--when used consistently and correctly--are an effective means of preventing HIV infection, gonorrhea (in men), and unplanned pregnancy among people who are sexually active and need to protect themselves. Both a consensus report...

Targeting populations at increased infection risk: condom promotion remains an important HIV prevention measure.
June 22, 2003... Traditionally, efforts to prevent HIV infection by promoting condom use--as part of a comprehensive array of risk-reduction approaches--have targeted individuals at increased risk of infection. One such targeted population is sex workers based...

Campaigns with uniformed services change behaviors.(safe sex initiatives in Thailand)
June 22, 2003... In Thailand, HIV prevalence has declined markedly over the past decade. This has been attributed to various condom promotion campaigns, including a 100 percent condom use program implemented in 1991 that mandated consistent condom use in all...

Public health initiative nearly halves STI rates.(sexually transmitted infection prevention in the Dominican Republic)
June 22, 2003... A 40 percent decline in rates of sexually transmitted infection, (STIs) occurred among a sample of 400 female sex workers who participated in a recent initiative to promote 100 percent condom use in 68 commercial sex establishments in two...

Measuring condom use better.
June 22, 2003... Among sexually active individuals at risk for HIV infection, consistent and correct condom use remains the best protection against HIV. Because some people who report that they use condoms consistently still become infected with HIV, (1) doubts...

Female condom reuse issues explored.
June 22, 2003... For female condom users, use of a new female condom for every act of sexual intercourse continues to be recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). (1) Likewise, the female condom (a potential alternative for the male condom) is...

Dual protection: best approach to recommend may vary.
June 22, 2003... Continuing research and discussion on the two major strategies for dual protection against both unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) indicate that each strategy has distinct advantages and disadvantages (see table,...

Emphasizing dual protection messages.
June 22, 2003... Dual protection messages are being integrated into family planning counseling services, and providers are embracing the new messages, research from Nigeria shows. Between 1999 and 2001, the nongovernmental Association for Reproductive and...

Dual protection and consistency of condom use.
June 22, 2003... Results from a recent, cross-sectional observational study from Zimbabwe suggest that dual method users do not use condoms as consistently as those who use only condoms for dual protection against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections....

After N-9, what next? Several potential microbicides are poised to be tested for effectiveness in humans.(nonoxynol-9)
June 22, 2003... Now that the spermicide nonoxynol-9 (N-9) has been ruled out as a microbicide (1) (see article, page 18), attention has shifted to other substances that might be used topically as a protective barrier against HIV and other sexually transmitted...

N-9 not for women at high risk of HIV infection.(nonoxynol-9)
June 22, 2003... Spermicides containing nonoxynol-9 (N-9) increase the risk of HIV infection when used frequently by women at high risk of infection, but they remain a moderately effective contraceptive option for women at low risk of infection, technical...

Will diaphragms protect against STIs?(sexually transmitted infections)
June 22, 2003... The hypothesis that diaphragms might offer women some protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, will soon be tested in several randomized controlled trials. One study of the use of diaphragms to prevent...

Contraceptive sponge re-enters the market.(Brief Article)
June 22, 2003... The Today contraceptive vaginal sponge has just reentered the market on a limited basis after an eight-year hiatus. Currently available only in Canada, the sponge is an alternative to the diaphragm that can be obtained without a prescription...