Discussion
In this study, there were more posters for male condom use than for
female condom use. With the availability of the posters and other
information and communication materials for male condoms being easily
available, more youths were conversant with ease use of the male condom
than the female condom. Respondents were able to explain the correct
procedure for male condom use than for female condom use. In a research
done on knowledge, acceptance and utilization of female condom it was
found out that increased awareness of the female contributed to
increased utilization of the female condom in Ghana [6]. In
Zimbabwe, incorporation of counseling on female condom in provision of
family planning services was found to increase utilization of the female
condom [8]. However, in this study it was found out that the youths
are aware of the female condom and its benefits but rarely use it due to
others factors.
Availability of female condoms within the place of residence was a
determinant of female condom use, most youths reported that whenever
they opted to use the device, little did they know where to get them
from, this contributed to low utilization of the female condom among the
youths. Acceptability and availability of the female condom were
associated with low utilization of female condom in Tanzania [9].
These were replicated in the current study and also in china in a study
by Ananga et al., which reported that limited access to the female
condom led to low utilization of the female condom [6]
The female condom dispensers and female condom posters and other
information, education and communication materials about female condom
significantly affected use of the female condom. Availability of male
condom dispensers within the colleges and place of residence made a male
condom a common good in the market; however lack of female condom
dispensers in critical places like place of residence, hostels and
social places within the tertiary institutions made it difficult for the
youths to access and use the female condom. When key informants from
each tertiary institution were interviewed it was evident that most
health care facilities do not stock the female condom and none of the
institutions had a female condom dispenser, others even lacked the
demonstration models for female condom insertion. These findings concur
with those revealed by [10].
The main source of income was also considered significant in this study,
those who received enough money for use reported low use or disuse of
the female condom compared to those who do not get adequate funding from
home sought extra money from casual sex partners as this was revealed in
focused group discussion. On further probing and analysis, it was
revealed that the cost of purchasing the female condom was a barrier to
the users; this is in line with the findings of [11,12] which
indicated that the high cost of the female condom lowered its
availability in shops and other places of sale. These results were
replicated in a study by Davidoff-Gore in Kenya [13].