National Condom Week (February 14-21)
Posted February 15, 2023
Valentine’s Day on February 14th marks the start of #NationalCondomWeek. Male (external) condoms, female (internal) condoms, and dental dams offer protection from HIV, Syphilis, Chlamydia and other STIs. Condoms are a great way to look after your sexual health and are 98% effective when used correctly. They are also the only form of contraception that protects the user against STIs.
Condom Usage and Effectiveness
This page on CDC.gov provides information on the correct use of male (external) and female (internal) condoms and dental dams, as well male (external) condom effectiveness for STDs, and links to additional resources for consumers.
Resources for Public Health Professionals
This fact sheet presents evidence concerning the male latex condoms and the prevention of STDs, including HIV, based on information about how different STDs are transmitted, the physical properties of condoms, the anatomic coverage or protection that condoms provide, and epidemiologic studies assessing condom use and STD risk. This fact sheet updates previous CDC fact sheets on condom effectiveness for STD prevention by incorporating additional evidence-based findings from published epidemiologic studies.
Additional CDC Resources for Public Health Professionals
- Selected References
- STD Clinical Prevention Guidelines
- CDC Contraceptive Guidance for Health Care Providers
Pacific AETC Resources
Educating patients about all their HIV prevention options, including condoms, is an important step in sexual history taking to screen for HIV and STI risk. To gain more comfort discussing sex with patients, check out these archives.
HIV Learning Network – Sexual History Taking
This presentation was given on September 9 @ Noon (Pacific): Sexual History Taking, by Danny Toub, MD, AAHIVS, HIV Clinician, Santa Rosa Community Health, and Family Medicine Residency Faculty, Sutter Santa Rosa.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the importance of taking a comprehensive sexual history
- Outline the components taking a comprehensive sexual history
- Demonstrate the use of affirming and inclusive sexual history questions
Sexual History Taking and Sex Positivity – Recorded Webinar
Description: This training is a pre-recorded webinar covering sexual history taking and sex positivity. Taking a thorough sexual history through a sex positivity framework allows the healthcare team to provide high-quality patient care by assessing and screening individuals for a broad range of sexual health concerns, including HIV and STI prevention, treatment, and care. This training will provide strategies for conducting complete sexual histories with a variety of patients and will discuss barriers that may hinder the process. Case discussions will be used to highlight examples.
Condom Distribution as a Structural Level Intervention for HIV Prevention
According to CDC.gov, Condom Distribution Programs (CDPs) have been proven to increase condom use, prevent HIV/STDs, and save money. CDPs change the environment so that there is increased availability, accessibility, and acceptability of condom use. CDC requires select grantees to implement CDPs as part of a larger HIV prevention strategy. Learn more about the CDC’s intervention research.
Learn more about the Scientific Support for Condom Distribution, Considerations for Implementing Structural-Level Condom Distribution Programs, Strategic Planning of Your CDP, and Examples of Successful CDPs on the CDC’s page Condom Distribution as a Structural Level Intervention.
Learn what our our capacity-building partners, the California Prevention Training Center, are doing to strengthen the availability and accessibility to condoms in their Condom Distribution as a Structural Intervention Institute.
