Condom usage

A recent discussion in the Community forums helped shed light on what motivates HIV positive men. For some, condom use is about stopping HIV but for others that's not the whole story. Men realise they often know little about their partners' sexual pasts, so want protection from other infections. Herpes and warts were mentioned, as were two infections more often seen in guys with HIV: hepatitis C and LGV (lymphogranuloma venereum).

For one man the memory lingers of what happened when he didn’t use condoms: "In the nineties I had anal herpes for about six months - acyclovir just wouldn't shift it, but even that pales into insignificance beside the pain of a simple dose of NSU. There were times I couldn't even stand upright, it hurt so much."

Condoms were linked with staying fit and healthy. Men acknowledged that the condom may be hundreds of years old but it’s seen as 'tried and trusted', the 'best safeguard' and 'something simple everyone can do to help eradicate HIV'.

For some men using condoms shows they respect their partners (whatever their HIV status). Condoms gave others confidence and reassurance, enhancing sex by making it more enjoyable. One man reserved sex without a condom for 'special people' who shared his HIV status but men with negative boyfriends were in no doubt about their determination not to pass on HIV.

Another put it bluntly: "It’s the right thing to do, it’s a no brainer when I know I can infect someone," adding, "I don't want to be charged with "reckless transmission" (the only mention of prosecutions for HIV transmission, but clearly on this man’s mind). Using condoms with other positive men was less clear cut, with men reporting discussions about risk with sexual partners that covered viral load, drug resistance and their virus type.

This was all interesting stuff and, using focus groups, we'll be checking in again with men as the campaign develops.

Look out for the finished campaign in October!