'Ditty bag of condoms' to improve condom use

A new and successful strategy has been launched to make sure men understand how to apply condoms correctly.

The Kinsey Institute Homework Intervention Strategy has started giving men a "ditty bag" full of condoms and lubricants and the men are expected to try out at least six condoms solo, paying particular attention to their own pleasure and which condoms they like best.

William L. Yarber, professor in the Indiana University School of Public-Health-Bloomington acknowledged that nobody has every structured an approach like this which is aimed at improving condom use among young men who have sex with men.

The co-author of the study said that these are pilot studies and even with small samples, the results are really good as men have become more motivated to use condoms.

The APHA study, which will be published in the Journal of American College Health, focuses on young men who have sex with men, which according to Roberta Emetu is an important group of men to reach.

Yarber and his colleague Stephanie A. Sanders, along with the rest of the Kinsey Institute Condom Use Research Team have documented for more than 10 years how merely wearing a condom is not enough to provide effective protection against STDs and unwanted pregnancies.