Ask questions to assess teens’ condom knowledge
Teens may be different in many ways, but they share one common thread: They all want to know more when it comes to protecting them-selves against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Almost a third of sexually active teens polled in a recent national survey say they want to know more about the proper way to use condoms.1
From a practice standpoint, it might be useful for providers to assess adolescents’ knowledge and misconceptions about condom use in regards to pregnancy and STD/HIV prevention, says Richard Crosby, PhD, STD Prevention Fellow in Behavioral Science and Health Education in Atlanta-based Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.
"Subsequently, providers can 1) reinforce accurate knowledge; and 2) dispel any misconceptions that become apparent during this session," he notes.
What can providers do to assess their teen patients’ condom knowledge? Ralph DiClemente, PhD, professor of public health and pediatrics at Emory University, suggests the following approach:
Ask, "Are you using condoms?" advises DiClemente. If the patient is not using condoms, and is female, ask what birth control method is being used for pregnancy prevention, he offers.
If the teen does identify a particular method, then say, "Do you think that method offers any protection from STDs, including HIV?" If the answer is "yes", then swiftly address this major risk perception, says DiClemente. If your teen patient says condoms are being used during sex, now is the time to gauge their frequency of use, he adds.
Ask, "How frequently do you have condoms when you have sex?" instructs DiClemente. Use such questions as "Do you use condoms every time you have sex? Most of the time? Half of the occasions?" These steps will help gauge the frequency of use and make sure that it is acceptable.
Take the next step by asking, "OK, since you do use condoms, who puts them on?" Follow this question with "Has the condom ever slipped off or broken?"
The indication then may be that condoms are not being used correctly, says DiClemente. Say to the patient: "Let’s try doing this. Show me the way you put a condom on this model."
Give the patient a condom, says DiClemente, and allow the patient to open the package and demonstrate on a model, such as a plastic banana or phallic replica. (Contraceptive Technology Update offered a patient handout in its February 2001 issue.)
Reference
1. Kaiser Family Foundation. National Survey of Teens on HIV/AIDS. Menlo Park, CA; 2000.
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