| Literature DB >> 30586870 |
William Evans1, Kuyosh Kadirov2, Ibou Thior3, Ramakrishnan Ganesan4, Alec Ulasevich5, Bidia Deperthes6.
Abstract
HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to be among the greatest public health threats worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Condom use remains an essential intervention to eradicate AIDS, and condom use is now higher than ever. However, free and subsidized condom funding is declining. Research on how to create healthy markets based on willingness to pay for condoms is critically important. This research has three primary aims: (1) willingness of free condom users in five African countries to pay for socially marketed condoms; (2) the relationship between specific population variables and condom brand marketing efforts and willingness to pay; and (3) potential opportunities to improve condom uptake. Nationally representative samples of at least 1200 respondents were collected in Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. We collected data on a range of demographic factors, including condom use, sexual behavior, awareness of condom brands, and willingness to pay. We estimated multivariate linear regression models and found that free condom users are overwhelmingly willing to pay for condoms overall (over 90% in Nigeria) with variability by country. Free users were consistently less willing to pay for condoms if they had a positive identification with their free brand in Kenya and Zimbabwe, suggesting that condom branding is a critical strategy. Ability to pay was negatively correlated with willingness, but users who could not obtain free condoms were willing to pay for them in Kenya and Zimbabwe. In a landscape of declining donor funding, this research suggests opportunities to use scarce funds for important efforts such as campaigns to increase demand, branding of condoms, and coordination with commercial condom manufacturers to build a healthy total market approach for the product. Free condoms remain an important HIV/AIDS prevention tool. Building a robust market for paid condoms in SSA is a public health priority.Entities:
Keywords: HIV/STIs; branding; condoms; social marketing; sub-Saharan Africa; willingness to pay
Mesh:
Year: 2018 PMID: 30586870 PMCID: PMC6339129 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16010034
Source DB: PubMed Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health ISSN: 1660-4601 Impact factor: 3.390
Figure 1Summary of most recent condom use by country and source.
Will free condom users purchase condoms if free condoms are unavailable?
| Usage Choice | Kenya ( | Nigeria ( | SA ( | Zambia ( | Zimbabwe ( |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop using condoms | 6.5 | 2.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 3.5 |
| Go to another location where free condoms are usually available | 16.2 | 23.0 | 63.2 | 25.7 | 40.8 |
| Try to purchase condoms from stores nearby | 69.9 | 69.9 | 30.0 | 62.4 | 38.4 |
| Stop having sex | 6.8 | 3.5 | 1.4 | 4.6 | 15.2 |
| Other | 0.6 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 2.2 | 2.1 |
Figure 2Free users’ price sensitivity (adjusted usual price is normalized across countries).
Kenya willingness to pay (WtP) among free condom users: Aware and not aware of socially marketed (SM) brand.
| Model 1: WtP All Free Users | Standardized Coefficients (beta) |
| Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wealth (1 quintile difference) | −0.098 | −8.051 | 0.000 |
| Buy if no free | 0.375 | 29.501 | 0.000 |
| Convenience | 0.092 | 7.489 | 0.000 |
| Sum of free brand attributes | −0.036 | −2.907 | 0.004 |
| Dependent variable: Willingness to pay | |||
| Model 2: WtP Free condom users aware of SM brand | Standardized coefficients (beta) |
| Significance |
| Wealth | −0.076 | −5.623 | 0.000 |
| Buy if no free | 0.435 | 31.506 | 0.000 |
| Convenience | 0.065 | 4.757 | 0.000 |
| Sum of free brand attributes | −0.077 | −5.593 | 0.000 |
| Dependent variable: Willingness to pay | |||
Zimbabwe willingness to pay (WtP) among free condom users: Aware and not aware of SM brand.
| Model 1: WtP All Free Users | Standardized Coefficients (beta) |
| Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wealth | −0.165 | −13.962 | 0.000 |
| Buy if no free | 0.196 | 0.196 | 0.000 |
| Convenience | −0.063 | −5.529 | 0.000 |
| Sum of free brand attributes | −0.305 | −26.409 | 0.000 |
| Dependent variable: Willingness to pay | |||
| Model 2: WtP Free condom users aware of SM brand | Standardized coefficients (beta) |
| Significance |
| Wealth | −0.176 | −12.833 | 0.000 |
| Buy if no free | 0.209 | 15.078 | 0.000 |
| Convenience | −0.046 | −3.534 | 0.000 |
| Sum of free brand attributes | −0.265 | −19.897 | 0.000 |
| Dependent variable: Willingness to pay | |||
| Model 3: WtP Free condom users aware of SM brand: Rank order of brand preference | Standardized coefficients (beta) |
| Significance |
| Wealth | −0.195 | −13.371 | 0.000 |
| Buy if no free | 0.211 | 14.327 | 0.000 |
| Convenience | −0.042 | −2.993 | 0.003 |
| Rank order of brand perception | 0.188 | 13.175 | 0.000 |