Abstract

PIP: During April 1992, 100 repeat clients at the Family Planning Clinic of Calgary Health Services were surveyed to determine whether a free condom distribution program promoting the use of condoms among oral contraception users had increased the probability that such clients would actually also use condoms to prevent the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). An age-matched, oral pill-using sample from the Edmonton Birth Control Center was surveyed for comparison. 56% of the survey respondents in both clinics were teens and 39% were age 20-24 years. 89% of Calgary clients and 45% of Edmonton clients reported having received condoms from their respective clinics. The Edmonton clinic offered no free condom distribution program during the pre-survey period. 72% of Calgary clients had either used the free condoms or gave them to other people. 39% of Calgary clinic respondents reported using both condom and pill at last intercourse compared to 29% of Edmonton respondents, a nonstatistically significant difference. A larger and better controlled cost-benefit analysis of free condom distribution programs is warranted given the importance of condom use for STD prevention among users of oral contraception.