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].