Addressing Female Condom Use among Women in South Africa: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Objective: To review the literature on the female condom (FC) and determinants of its usage among females in South Africa. Method: The Boolean method was used to search for studies focusing solely on the female perspectives of the FC. Only South African studies in English were included. Results: Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Despite high levels of awareness, use of FC is low, particularly among younger females. Users were often not aware of availability. Clinical failure ranged between 1–7.7% and decreased over time. Negotiation skills were poor. Conclusion: Campaigns to improve uptake and promote correct use are required.

Keywords:

• Female condom
• South Africa
• Review
• Health promotion
• HIV

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Author statement

The authors of this review declare that this manuscript has not been published elsewhere and that it has not been submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported in part by the National Research Foundation of South Africa, Unique grant number 99315.