Introduction

Throughout the world, HIV is transmitted primarily through heterosexual intercourse. In many developing countries, nearly 50% of HIV infections occur in women:

• In parts of sub-Saharan Africa, infection rates for women substantially exceed those for men.
• In industrialized countries, women comprise the fastest growing population of persons with AIDS and HIV Infection.

Current global AIDS prevention strategies consist primarily of:

• urging people to be monogamous
• promoting condom use
• treating concurrent sexually transmitted diseases

For many women, these approaches are often not feasible or are unrealistic. Therefore, there is an urgent need to expand women's options for HIV prevention.

Female-controlled Methods:
Vaginal Microbicides

• By virtue of being female-controlled, methods such as vaginal spermicides have the potential to be used in a greater percentage of sexual encounters, thereby achieving a greater long-term use effectiveness than condoms.
• Although some women may be able to use a vaginal product such as a microbicide without their partners' knowledge, a critical factor in many women's ability to use one is their male partners' approval of such a product.
• Findings from an earlier Population Council study examining women's preferences for vaginal spermicides revealed that many women are not able to, interested in, or willing to conceal the use of a vaginal product from their partners.
• Therefore, we designed a study to explore men's preferences regarding vaginal product use.

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This page updated 2 December 2005

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