Issues relevant to the accessibility of male condoms for young people in the UK were investigated, using semi-structured, in-depth interviews and a questionnaire survey.
Family planning clinics and CVMs were the most cited sources for condom acquisition. Young people’s knowledge of where and when they could access condoms varied by age and gender. The suitable positioning of CVMs would need to take such variations into account when targeting potential customers. Levels of embarrassment about acquiring condoms also varied according to gender. The lifestyles of young people indicated the sorts of places in which CVMs might offer increased accessibility. This tended to involve low-cost, semi-private areas such as local parks, school toilets, and shopping malls/streets for younger men and women. Older men with higher spending power and increased confidence could access condoms through pub and club toilets and chemist shops.
Accessible positioning of CVMs was related to the participants’ age, gender, and lifestyle, and programs to enhance accessibility should reflect this. Increased accessibility for younger groups, especially women, needs to consider issues of cost, confidence, and embarrassment. For older groups, lifestyle choices indicated pubs and clubs as critical locations for both men and women.
Reference: https://srh.bmj.com/content/32/4/219
