Register      Login
Sexual Health Sexual Health Society
Publishing on sexual health from the widest perspective
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > SH > SH07054
REVIEW
Contents Vol 5(1)

Condoms for sexually transmissible infection prevention: politics versus science

Adrian Mindel A and Shailendra Sawleshwarkar A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Sexually Transmitted Infections Research Centre, Marian Villa, Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: Shailendra.Sawleshwarkar@swahs.health.nsw.gov.au

Sexual Health 5(1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.1071/SH07054
Submitted: 12 July 2007  Accepted: 9 November 2007   Published: 22 February 2008

Abstract

The present review assesses the protection that condoms offer against sexually transmissible infections (STI) and the impact that social, political and religious opinion in the USA has had in the past 8 years on promoting condoms for safer sex. Condoms offer protection against most STI. However, the degree of protection depends on correct and consistent use, the type of sexual activity and the biological characteristics of different infections. Cross-sectional and case-control studies and other observational data provide the majority of evidence for STI prevention. Condoms provide a high level of protection against those infections that are transmitted mainly via infected secretions, including HIV, gonorrhoea, chlamydia and trichomoniasis. Protection against those infections transmitted via skin and mucous membrane contact, including Herpes simplex virus infection and human papilloma virus, appears to be less. The Bush administration, driven by conservative political, social and religious elements in the USA, has mounted a concerted campaign to undermine the role of the condom in health-promotion activities in the USA and overseas by undervaluing and misrepresenting scientific data, and through a sustained and well-funded promotion of abstinence-only education. However, this has lead to considerable controversy and disillusionment with abstinence-only education, both at home and abroad, and there is now incontrovertible evidence that abstinence-only programs are ineffectual.

Additional keywords: abstinence-only education, sexually transmissible diseases and infections.


References


[1] Judson FN,  Ehret JM,  Bodin GF,  Levin MJ,  Rietmeijer CA. In vitro evaluations of condoms with and without nonoxynol 9 as physical and chemical barriers against chlamydia trachomatis, herpes simplex virus type 2 and human immunodeficiency virus. Sex Transm Dis 1989; 16 51–6.
| PubMed | [verified 12 June 2007].

[19] Kretzschmar M,  van Duynhoven YT,  Severijnen AJ. Modeling prevention strategies for gonorrhea and Chlamydia using stochastic network simulations. Am J Epidemiol 1996; 144 306–17.
| PubMed | [verified 14 June 2007].

[33] On the Issues. George W. Bush on abortion. Cambridge, MA: On the Issues.Available online at: http://www.ontheissues.org/2004/George_W_Bush_Abortion.htm [verified 14 June 2007].

[34] Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn (Republican Jr Senator; previously US Rep). On the issues. Available online at: http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Tom_Coburn.htm [verified 15 June 2007].

[35] Literature on the Holocaust. Lawmaker criticizes ‘Schindler’s List’ airing Wednesday, February 26, 1997. Available online at: http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/Holocaust/schindler-on-tv.html [verified 17 June 2007].

[36] American Family Association. CDC director Dr Jeffrey Koplan should be replaced. Activism Action Alert. 30 July 2001. Tupelo, MS: American Family Association, 2007. Available online at: http://www.afa.net/activism/aa073001.asp [verified 14 June 2007].

[37] Abstinence Clearinghouse. Abstinence Clearinghouse networking people for abstinence. Washington, DC: Abstinence Clearinghouse, 2007. Available online at: http://www.abstinence.net/ [verified 19 June 2007].

[38] National Physicians Center For Family Resources. Malibu: National Physicians Center For Family, 2007. Available online at: http://www.physicianscenter.org/ [verified 7 June 2007].

[39] Family Research Council. Defending family faith and freedom. Washington, DC: Family Research Council, 2007. Available online at: http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?c=HOME [verified 16 May 2007].

[40] The Heritage Foundation. Washington, DC: The Heritage Foundation, 2007. Available online at: http://www.heritage.org/ [verified 1 December 2006].

[41] The Institute for Youth Development. Washington, DC: The Institute for Youth Development, 2007. Available online at: http://www.youthdevelopment.org/ [verified 21 June 2007].

[42] Catholic Educators Research Center. Bellevue, WA: Catholic Educators Research Center, 2007. Available online at: http://www.catholiceducation.org/ [verified 2 December 2006].

[43] The Traditional Values Coalition. Washington, DC: The Traditional Values Coalition. Available online at: http://www.traditionalvalues.org/index.php [verified 21 June 2007].

[44] People for the American Way. Washington, DC: People for the American Way. Available online at: http://www.pfaw.org/pfaw/general/default.aspx?oid=4211 [verified 8 June 2007].

[45] Office of the Federal Register. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) interim HIV content guidelines for AIDS-related materials, pictorials, audiovisuals, questionnaires, survey instruments, marketing, advertising and web site materials, and educational sessions in CDC school-based assistance programs. 2004. Volume 69, Number 115. Available online at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-13553.htm [verified 18 June 2007].

[46] Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Fact sheet for public health personnel. Male latex condoms and sexually transmitted diseases. Atlanta: CDC, 2003 Available online at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/condoms.pdf [verified 20 June 2007].

[47] Office of the Federal Register. National Archives and Records Administration; 2003. Volume 68, Number 236. Available online at: http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/14mar20010800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2003/pdf/03-30597.pdf [verified 19 June 2007].

[48] Morison KB . US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children & Families Fact Sheet: Section 510 State Abstinence Education Program. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, 2007. Available online at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/fysb/content/abstinence/factsheet.htm [verified 14 June 2007].

[49] Office of Population Affairs Department of Health and Human Services. Rockville: Office of Population Affairs. Available online at: http://opa.osophs.dhhs.gov/titlexx/afl-grantees-ae.html [verified 11 June 2007].

[50] Lee C . Bush choice for family-planning post criticized. The Washington Post. November 17, 2006. Available online at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/16/AR2006111601929.html [verified 19 June 2007].

[51] Editorial. Science, not politics. Nat Med 2004; 10 759.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | [verified 17 June 2007].

[53] Jorgensen SR,  Potts V,  Camp B. Project taking charge – 6-month follow-up of a pregnancy prevention program for early adolescents. Fam Relat 1993; 42 401–6.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | [verified 26 June 2007].

[71] Young M,  Penhollow T. The impact of abstinence education: what does the research say? Am J Health Educ 2006; 37 194–202.
[verified 20 June 2007].

[73] United States House of Representatives. The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education Programs. United States House of Representatives, Committee on Government Reform – Minority Staff Special Investiagtion Division. Prepared for Rep. Henry A. Waxman. 2004. Available online at: http://oversight.house.gov/Documents/20041201102153-50247.pdf [verified 22 June 2007].

[74] Media Matters. Abstinence-only advocate defended misleading curricula with more distortions. Media matters for America. Washington, DC: Media Matters, 2004. Available online at: http://mediamatters.org/items/200412080002 [verified 20 June 2007].

[75] Jones M . Experts challenge abstinence-only programs. The Record. Independent Newspaper at Harvard Law School; 2006. Available online at: http://media.www.hlrecord.org/media/storage/paper609/news/2006/10/05/News/Experts.Challenge.AbstinenceOnly.Programs-2334232.shtml?norewrite200611081515&sourcedomain=www.hlrecord.org [verified 25 June 2007].

[76] PEPFAR. The United States President’s emergency plan for AIDS relief. Available online at: http://www.pepfar.gov/ [verified 1 June 2007].

[77] International Women’s Health Coalition. Global HIV/AIDS. New York: International Women’s Health Coalition, 2006. Available online at: http://www.iwhc.org/global/uspolicy/hivaids/index.cfm [verified 19 June 2007].

[78] Vasagar J , Borger J . Bush accused of Aids damage to Africa. Guardian Tuesday. 30 August 2005. Available online at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1558905,00.html [verified 27 June 2007].

[79] Human Rights Watch. What you need to know. Stop the export of US-funded abstinence-only HIV/AIDS programs. HIV/AIDS & Human Rights. New York: Human Rights Watch, 2006. Available online at: http://hrw.org/campaigns/aids/2005/uganda/facts.htm [verified 16 June 2007].

[80] Population Action International. Abstaining from reality: US restrictions on HIV prevention. Washington, DC: Population Action International. Available online at: http://216.146.213.75/Publications/Documentaries/Abstaining_from_Reality_U.S._Restrictions_on_HIV_Prevention.shtml [verified 18 June 2007].

[81] Tanne JH. US state rejects federal funding for abstinence only sex education. BMJ 2005; 331 715.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | [verified 27 June 2007].

[83] Bleakley A,  Hennessy M,  Fishbein M,  Bleakley A,  Hennessy M,  Fishbein M. Public opinion on sex education in US schools. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 2006; 160 1151–6.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | [verified 27 June 2007].