CONTENTS
Chapters
- The Toll of STDs
- Reducing the Toll of STDs
- Managing STDs
- Diagnostic and Treatment Tips
- Getting Services to the People
- Getting People to Services
- Promoting Prevention—Condoms and Monogamy
HIGHLIGHTS
Population Reports is published by the Population Information Program, Center for Communication Programs, The
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, 111 Market Place, Suite 310, Baltimore, Maryland
21202-4012, USA
Volume XXI, Number 1
June, 1993 |
Promoting Monogamy
Efforts to promote monogamy have encouraged men to stop
having sex with prostitutes and urged couples to be faithful.
Also, programs have encouraged youth to delay sexual intercourse
or abstain until they get married. Most such efforts have been a
part of AIDS prevention programs. For example:
- In the Philippines a television commercial broadcast in
1992, part of an AIDS prevention campaign, portrayed
young men in a locker room discussing their visit to
prostitutes the night before. One man warns them,
however, that having sex with prostitutes is dangerous
and reminds them about a friend who is sick (289).
- In Uganda monogamy is promoted with the phrases "Zero
grazing" ("zero grazing" means staying with one
partner), "Love carefully," and, for men in polygamous
marriages, "Stay within your own paddock" (130, 214).
- The Zaire AIDS prevention program combined promotion of
monogamy and condoms in the slogan "Love faithfully, or
at least with prudence" (134).
- The Swiss AIDS education program uses the slogan "Stay
faithful to one partner" in advertising directed at
married couples (179).
To gauge their impact, these programs have measured intent,
knowledge, or reported behavior. For example:
- Pre-tests and post-tests of the promotion in the
Philippines found significant increases in the
percentages of men who agreed with the statements, "If
I am going to have sex, I will stick to one partner"
and "I will not sleep with prostitutes" (289).
- In Uganda surveys of adults in rural and urban areas in
1988 found that almost 90% were aware that mutual
monogamy prevented the transmission of HIV (86).
- In Switzerland surveys have found that the median
number of reported lifetime sexual partners among
people ages 17 to 30 declined from 3 to 2 between 1987
and 1991. The change was not statistically significant
but may suggest a trend (74). During the same period
condom use in this group increased from 8% to 52% (75).
Isolating the effect of programs is difficult, of course. In
Switzerland, for example, sex education in the schools may also
be influencing behavior. More research is needed on the impact of
programs that promote monogamy as well as on ways to measure
behavior change.
Sexually transmitted diseases are both a medical and a
social problem. The means to cure many STDs and to prevent all of
them have long existed. But health care providers are still
struggling to make STD diagnosis and treatment widely available
throughout the world. Also, they are just learning how to
persuade people to seek effective treatment, to use condoms, and
to have fewer sexual partners. And they are just beginning to
involve providers of primary health care, including antenatal
care and family planning, who may be able to play a larger role
in STD management and prevention. Such efforts can prevent
infertility, avoid congenital infections, and slow the spread of
AIDS. |