Perceived function of and barriers to condom use in Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions of Tanzania.

This paper presents data from a population-based survey which assessed perceived function of and barriers to condom use among the adult population aged 15-54 years in the Arusha and Kilimanjaro regions in northern Tanzania. A structured questionnaire was used in data collection. A total of 1081 people participated in the study, representing a response rate of 67% of the eligible population from two urban and two semi-urban communities. Of the 1081 respondents, 69.9% knew what condoms were and of these 55.3% stated that condoms are used for contraception while 24.2% reported that condoms are used for prevention of AIDS/STD. Among those who knew about condoms, 11.2% stated that they disliked using condoms during sexual intercourse while 18.7% felt that condoms reduced sexual enjoyment. Furthermore, 34.1% of the respondents reported that they would not supply condoms to their sexually active children. Respondents who reported that condoms reduced sexual enjoyment as well as those who stated that they disliked using condoms were significantly less likely to use condoms than those who stated otherwise. These data indicated the underlying psychosocial barriers to condom use among the respondents and hence the need for further research and specific health education strategies to overcome them. Priority areas for intervention research are suggested.