Are written instructions enough? Efficacy of male condom packaging leaflets among college students

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate whether or not written condom use instructions successfully inform correct condom use skills. Design: Between-subjects, two-group design. Setting: Public university located in rural Midwestern region of the United States. Method: Participants were randomly assigned to either a control condition (read physical exercise instructions) or a treatment condition (read condom use instructions). Participants answered self-report questions related to condom use and performed a condom demonstration task. Participants: Participants were 106 male and 87 female college students, primarily in their freshmen (52%) or sophomore (22%) year. Results: On average, participants who read the condom instructions did not perform significantly better on the demonstration task. When the specific condom application and removal steps were considered, however, those who read the condom instructions had four times greater odds of successfully pinching the reservoir tip during condom application. Conclusions: These data suggest that the benefits of written instructions are limited and do not fully inform correct condom use.