Elevated Condom Breakage and Slippage Rates are Linked to History of Failure, Specific Types of Misuse

Abstract

130 male family planning clients in the Philippines 130 in Mexico and 126 in the Dominican Republic (DR) who had used at least 1 condom during the preceding 12 months and were at least 18 years old participated in a study of condom use conducted between July 1992 and March 1993. Men who reported having at least 1 condom break or slip off during vaginal intercourse over the past year in the DR or ever in the other 2 countries were considered to be at increased risk. Men who had experienced no condom failures during the same period were considered at low risk. The proportions of men who used all of the 5 condoms provided for a 3-week study period were 98% in the Philippines 88% in Mexico and 58% in the DR. Participants median age was 25-33 years and they had a median 11-13 years of education. In each country the men were almost equally divided between high- and low-risk groups. Men with histories of prior condom failures were more likely than men without such histories to experience condom breakage or slippage. Condom breakage was more likely to occur when a man used something other than his fingers to open the condom package or if he unrolled the condom before putting it on. Rates of slippage were higher when a man unrolled the condom before putting it on or if intercourse lasted for longer than 20 minutes or was especially intense. The more such behaviors a man engaged in the more likely he was to experience condom breakage or slippage.