Question

How can health communications practictioners convince people to use condoms for HIV prevention, given these widely held beliefs?

Answer 1

AIDS is a global pandemic. The main mode of transmission of this infection is sexual route like other STDs.Consistent condom use is the most efficient, preventive and cost effective method of prevention of various Sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. But many of the people are very much reluctant to use condoms in sexual intercourse.

Traditional taboos associated with condom use

• Many of the people believe that their religion prohibits condom use
• Persons report non conforming to the condom use norm because vondoms are “hassle“ and because they don't carry condoms or confoms are not available all the time.
• Adhering to condom use cause embarrassing in carrying or getting condom
• Some of the couples feel that the sexual pleasure Will be compromised due to condoms.

The health communication practitioner should remove these taboos and empower them to use condoms for safety rather than embarrassment and religious prohibition.

The health communication practioner can convince the people by focusing on major elements​

​​​​​​1.Self protection

Person should use these protective equipments from preventing the transmission of HIV from affected partner. That is self protection from the partner, no matter, she or he has disease or not.

2. Partner's protection

To save your partner from your infection,if it is known that you are having an STD. This is an ethical or moral responsibility of yours to protect your partner getting affected by the disease only by sharing a lovely sexual relationship with you.

3. Disease burden

HIV AIDS is a global pandemic. Once infected, it cannot be cured, only can do reduce the viral load and prevent opportunistic infections associated with AIDS. Health communication practioner can acknowledge them with the severity of the infection and global disease burden. A technique of deterrence to the effect of HIV infection and essentiality of condoms use to prevent this particular infection.

4.Others

• Teach the people that importance of condom use over the embarrassment and religious prohibition
• Tell the them that the sexual pleasure Will not be compromised due to the use of condoms, provided that there's no solid evidence for supporting such a comment.
• Explain that if sex is a secret affair, the keeping condoms also a secret deal, no need of snow embarrassment
• Enrich their confidence in prevention of STDs by using condoms and encourage them to use condoms in every sexual intercourse with a strange partner.