APHIA II KENYA

In 2005 the Health Communications and Marketing (HCM) began running a self efficacy campaign dubbed “Fungua Roho Yako - Ongea” that largely dwelt on the issue of social support for condom use. The campaign’s key objective was to promote positive reinforcement or recognition from parents, peers and other support networks for condom use by sexually active, unmarried youth in regular relationships with their partners. The campaign was informed by a HCM survey of 2005 which highlighted the following reasons why people in relationships with regular partners tend not to use condoms:

• General perception that their partner would suspect them of being unfaithful or “loose”.
• The stigma associated with purchase and the embarrassment of carrying a condom may hinder purchase and lead to one not carrying and/or having a condom when they need it.
• Desire to show love, trust and commitment to their partners as a strategy to increase intimacy.

A subsequent qualitative survey conducted by HCM among regular, unmarried youth who reported consistent or near-consistent condom use with their regular partners showed that one was likely to be more self-efficacious and use condoms more consistently where there was perceived social support (from parents and other responsible adults). Of significance to note from this survey were the following issues:

• There was a high perception of social support from parents, other older responsible adults and friends among the youth.
• Both males and females possessed good negotiation skills with males proposing reasons for condom use which appeal to women (e.g. pregnancy prevention, care and love) and females able to say no to sex if no condom is used and discussing condoms well in advance to avoid last minute disagreements.

Both males and females had a concern about their own health first, then their partner’s health (for males) that was deemed more important than immediate sexual gratification (males) or trying to secure a relationship through pregnancy.

For the large part, there appears (among the self efficacious group) to be a generally high level of knowledge which results to increased personal responsibility and accountability with regard to individual sexuality.