Journal of Antivirals & Antiretrovirals
Open Access

Abstract

Knowledge and Attitude, Accessibility and Acceptance of Female Condoms by Students in WSU Nelson Mandela Drive Campus

Ntombophelo Sithole-Tetani and Mfusi SK

World Health Organization (2012) encourages that all forms of fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS should be used which includes women/female condoms. Women condoms are suppose to be regarded as an alternative to men condoms. The objectives included investigating the extent of the student’s knowledge and participants’ attitude towards female condoms, accessibility of female condoms by the participants and establish whether male partners accept the use of female condoms. Simple random sampling was used to select the sample size of 50 participants, 25 females and 25 males. 50 questionnaires were distributed. Data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Service Solution (SPSS), version 21.0. The findings of the study are that 90% of participants have never used female condoms let alone thinking about using it, these participants did not even know how a female condom looks like and how it is inserted. 56% of participants indicated that female condoms are not available in the campus. They also have the same feeling regarding the availability and accessibility of female condoms where they live, be it at their villages or in townships. Furthermore, an average number of participants indicated that they have generally positive attitude towards female condoms as very few of them (4%) indicated that they dislike female condoms. Nevertheless, they do not regard female condoms as an alternative to male condom which can increase women’s control on sexual activates. The results are displayed using the frequency tables. In all these areas it became clear that despite the role the government has played in educating people about female condoms, a lot still needs to be done especially here in Walter Sisulu University (NMD) so that participants’ knowledge and understanding can improve. This will help in the reduction of student-teenage pregnancies, STIs infection and HIV/AIDS infection rate in Walter Sisulu University (NMD) and the University at large.