Gender differences in the factors influencing consistent condom use among young people in Tanzania

Stella Babalola, Johns Hopkins University

AIDS has become a major cause of death in Tanzania and young people represent the most vulnerable group. Against this background, this paper examined commonalties and differences in the predictors of condom use among Tanzanian youth in five regions. The findings suggest that an effective intervention for promoting condom use should be differently packaged for men and women. For men, an effective intervention should seek to educate the audience about correct use of condom, promote discussion about condom use with peers, link condom use to longevity and increase the self-efficacy for use of condom with long-term sex partners. For women, interventions should focus on sexual empowerment, increase understanding about the adverse social and health consequences of unplanned pregnancies and promote understanding about the response-efficacy of the condom.