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IN FOCUS: ARTICLE |
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Using Condom Sense
by Kari Croop, 03.07.06
"Usually the stories I hear are along the lines of teens being embarrassed to be seen buying condoms — they feel ashamed." |
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The rate of sexually transmitted infections is on the rise, and according the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a whopping 25 percent of people newly diagnosed with infections are teenagers. And when it comes to pregnancy, nearly one million sexually active teenage girls — about one in five — become pregnant each year.
Condoms greatly reduce the risk of pregnancy and infection — but teens don't always have access to them. That's where Protection Connection comes in. Designed by Planned Parenthood of Southern Arizona (PPSA) to combat rising rates of pregnancy and infections in the city of Tucson and surrounding areas, Protection Connection promotes condom use through a teen-driven media campaign, teen-to-teen workshops, and the distribution of condoms through vending machines.
Access Denied
"Teens feel a certain discomfort in accessing condoms," says Vicki Hadd-Wissler, director of the Protection Connection program at PPSA. "They're not aware that they have a right to purchase contraceptive material because of their age, so that can be a barrier for them, period."
Although Hadd-Wissler says she's never encountered teens who've been carded for condoms, a poll of teenwire.com readers found that 10 percent of respondents said they'd been denied or carded for condoms at stores, even though there's no age requirement for purchasing them.
Owen Dunn, a 17-year-old senior at Tucson High School, who oversees Protection Connection's Teen Advisory Group, says many teens also fear adults' disapproval when buying condoms in stores. "Usually the stories I hear are along the lines of teens being embarrassed to be seen buying condoms — they feel ashamed," he says.
Connecting with Condoms
In order to help teens get condoms without fear of denial or disapproval, Protection Connection has been working to put condom vending machines in teen-frequented locations around Tucson. "We have about 30 vending machines," says Hadd-Wissler. "There are three of them at local parks and recreation buildings, and we also target coffee shops. Vending machines bypass the merchant so teens don't have to deal with obstacles as much."
Teens themselves are a driving force behind Protection Connection, holding both paid part-time positions and non-paying volunteer jobs. Currently, the program has a network of about 80 teenagers who help get the word out by talking to their classmates and staffing information booths at places teens are likely to gather, such as concerts, coffeehouses, and community centers.
One important task for teens on the Protection Connection team is distributing free Safer Sex kits, which contain one flavored condom, one regular condom, one sample size of lubricant, and an information card about emergency contraception and instructions for how to put on a condom.
Another part of Protection Connection's work is an ongoing campaign to spread awareness about HIV prevention. On December 3, Protection Connection hosted its annual Wrap It Up Jam in observance of World AIDS Day on December 1. The event included music from local bands and DJs, an HIV-positive speaker, and free HIV tests for teens.
Success!
Since launching the program in 1998, program organizers have scored impressive results. Recent surveys show that eight out of 10 teens in the area are familiar with the Protection Connection program and say it motivates them to use and encourage others to use condoms. The surveys also found that now, more teens are willing to insist that their sexual partners wear condoms every single time they have sex.
While it's true that Protection Connection only reaches teens in southern Arizona, teens in other states can turn to their local Planned Parenthood health centers to get information on safer sex, get tested for sexually transmitted infections, and buy condoms. Some health centers even give teens free condoms. |
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