Condom Dispenser Programs in Universities and Colleges

Introduction

The use of condoms is one of the best strategies put in place to reduce sexually transmitted infections like HIV/AIDS and unwanted pregnancies. Making condoms available is integral in reducing such cases in the country. Effective condom distribution policies should be put in place and be given support by the government and society to help the youth who are sexually active. One of the best strategies for changing the perception of the community and engaging in safe sex is by supporting effective condom distribution programs (Francis et al. 2016). The plan is put in place to ensure condoms are available and acceptable to all public sectors. It is done through creating awareness in areas where condoms are accessible, for example, in pharmacies, outreach workers and in the condom dispensing machines (Shacham, Nelson, Schulte, Bloomfield & Murphy, 2016).

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Sex education in schools provides students with knowledge about their sexuality amongst many other things. Unfortunately, lack of information is believed to be the leading source of many teen pregnancies and high spread of STDs. The government has put policies and measures to oversee the distribution of condoms in public schools, especially in the universities, as a way of reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS infection. The programs involve counseling the students and also demonstrating to them how to wear the protection. The program links the condom distribution programs to educational resources across the country (Stoner, 2016).

Research carried out in the USA shows that since the introduction of condom programs in schools in 1990, the rate of teen pregnancies has decreased drastically. Consequently, the number of abortions has dropped significantly. Young people find it challenging to purchase condoms in pharmacies and stores. The environmental and psychological barriers make most campus students engage in unprotected sex, which has its negative consequences (Shacham et al. 2016). According to Wilson & Ickes (2015), purchasing a condom near the university is seen as embarrassing. Several strategies have been put up to ensure easy and quick access to condoms in various university premises. One of the condom distribution policies implemented in colleges is the use of a dispensing machine. The strategy ensures that condoms are available, accessible and acceptable to all university and college students.

Relevance of the study

University students are among the highest sexually active groups. They account for more than 60% of sexually active persons in the USA. There are very few young people who abstain from sex until marriage. Most of the young people are introduced to sex by their peers on campus, hence high cases of abortions, pregnancies and contraction of Sexually Transmitted Infections during their college career. Condom distribution programs have been introduced to educate the students on the use of condoms and ensure the protection is accessible and available (Wilson & Ickes, 2015). The study is critical not only for the students but also to the health services policymakers who gathers information on whether condom policies have been useful to the university students.

Purpose of the study

The public health organizations in association with the American Academy of Pediatrics have been in the forefront to advocate for condom distribution programs in American schools. Schools and some of society reconsidered the impact of condoms in school, hence promoting the programs and policies. From the year 2013, many strategies have been put in place to ensure the university students across the United States access condoms. Dispensers filled with lubricated condoms are supplied to all campus and are checked and assessed every two weeks to ensure the stock last.

The paper uses a national representative sample of the university and college students who are sexually active and have been able to access condoms in schools. A comparison will be drawn based on the results gathered on whether the programs have been of help in ensuring condom accessibility in college.

The study will investigate the behavior and attitudes of the students towards the use of the condom dispensing program in the university. Moreover, it will determine how the students utilize the condoms supplied to them on campus and whether the program has been in use in reducing the risks above.. Additionally, information concerning the availability and accessibility of the resources will be determined. Through this study, it will be easier to determine whether the program has been successful or there is need to implement a better policy for condom distribution in the universities.

Research questions/ Specific Aims

To determine the effectiveness of the condom distribution policies in universities and colleges, the following questions help provide the support and actual results.

I. What is the student's perception towards the distribution of condoms on campus?

II. Are the condom dispensers placed in a strategic location where all student can access them?

III. Has the program been effective in reducing the rate of unwanted pregnancies, abortions, and transmission of STIs on campus?

Research hypothesis

HI: Condom dispenser programs have made condoms accessible to many university and college students.

H11: Condom dispensing program leads to decreased pregnancies, the spread of STIs and low abortion cases in the universities.

H0: Some universities in the US have not adopted the use of condom dispensers and other condom programs in the institutions.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Student's perception of Condom Distribution in Campus

Before the condom use, attitudes regarding the dispensers and the comfort associated with the dispensers were hugely linked to the intentions to use them among students who are sexually active. While this is so, the perceptions of accessibility and availability were not substantially related with aims to use the dispenser. In the same way, the acceptability was pointedly associated with intents only before dispenser-specific measures subjected to the regression. According to Helm et al. (2013), the internal consistency of the condom accessibility scale demonstrated a degree of weakness. Fundamentally, the students who did not use the condom dispensers reported that they were obtaining their condoms from either the health units or pharmacies. This meant that the installation and presence of dispensers in different locations on campus did not influence their view on the availability of condoms. In this sense, the dispensers well served a specific group of students especially those who spend much time on campus and those who do not have easy access to the condom.

In another study, Helme et al. (2011) showed that condom distribution program attracted the attention of the students, aroused interpersonal communication. Besides, they were well received because students used them within the short period of dispenser installation. The previous studies, however, showed that peer to peer interpersonal communication might be vital in influencing the student's knowledge and awareness about the distribution programs. In fact, these factors can play important roles in facilitating the change in norms regarding the condom acquisition and use. Along with these findings, the researchers found that an essential step towards improving various awareness in condom distribution would be the implement different communication strategies to promote awareness regarding the availability and locations of the condom dispensers to stimulate conversations and sharing.

Accessibility to Condom Dispensers by Students

In autumn 2013, Francis et al. (2016) conducted on the student's understanding of condom distribution across the Campus. Designed and done at the student health center at a large public university in the Southeastern USA, it examined the perception of a newly implemented condom distribution program with free condoms on the college campus. Overall, the students perceived the condoms to be available and accessible on the college campus in the United States. Majority of them (81 percent) knew the specific points where to get condoms from the installed dispensers. About one in every four students reported taking the condoms from the installed dispensers. This figure was higher than other places where students obtained the condom. They further portrayed positive attitudes towards the dispensers. The study found that students were able to use the condom dispensers within a short period after the installation (within two months in this case). Along with the positive attitude, the study offered the suggestions that dispensers can enhance the availability, accessibility and even the acceptability of condoms in college, thereby promoting student's sexual health.

Moore et al. (2006), showed that comfort and embarrassment played the integral role in facilitating and barring access to condom among the college students. The researchers agreed that the acceptability and specific comfort with the dispensers were hugely linked to the intentions to use the dispensers. This implied that students who were more embarrassed about getting condoms were less likely to obtain and carry them as opposed to those who were not embarrassed.

Effectiveness of the Condom Use among the College students

Kim and Free (2008) conducted a systematic review of the research about the peered education and interventions utilized to improve reproductive outcome in adolescents. More specifically, they investigated the effectiveness of the use of condoms among the college students. The study by Blake et al. (2003) showed that majority of students acknowledged the effectiveness of condom distribution programs and used in the prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections, abortions, and the unwanted pregnancies. Some students reported efficiency when the condom was used consistently and correctly. The STIs such as the Gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis are transmitted when infected semen or vaginal fluids contact mucosal surfaces. This is based on the fact that the condoms block the discharge of semen or protect the male urethra from getting exposed to the vaginal secretions. The use of condoms demonstrated a considerable level in the prevention of the STIs among the students. In fact, the Condom availability programs helped reduce the financial, logistical, and social barriers that prevent sexually active youths from using condoms. These condom dispensers operated in the locations such as campus clinic and clubs where the students mainly congregated to make them available at low or no costs to teens.

Crosby et al. in their study showed that the condom availability programs encouraged students to use them more often and consistently. Students, however, recognized that fact that the condom use did not initiate sex or cause sexually active teens more active or have more partners. However, the researchers further show that using the condom does not offer complete protection against STIs contraction, as some students failed to use the condoms consistently. In the study, researchers compared the consistent (100 percent) users with others. The guide for this was established in the seminal studies that revealed the value of protection that condoms hold. As the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention suggest, the consistent use of the condom is the primary strategy that can be used to reduce the incidences of STIs among the college students. While these findings are tremendously encouraging, a considerable number of college students acquired the STD despite the 100 percent condom utilization. It mostly underestimated the protective effects. The evidence offered by Crosby et al. suggested that majority of young people (including students) m...