Lubricant Use and Condom Use during Anal Sex in Men Who Have Sex with Men in Tanzania

Abstract
The lack of data on condom and lubricant use among African men who have sex with men hinders prevention efforts. We describe use, knowledge, and access to lubricants in Dar es Salaam and Tanga, Tanzania. Data were collected in 2012 and 2013 from a cross-sectional survey of 200 men who have sex with men in Dar es Salaam and 100 men who have sex with men in Tanga, Tanzania. The most common reason for not using condoms was dislike of condoms. Two-thirds of the men reported always using a lubricant for anal sex. Fewer men who have sex with both men and women know about lubricants, more gay men look for, have difficulty finding, and find lubricants to be expensive; and men who have sex with men use lubricants to facilitate penetration. Men who have sex with both men and women commonly receive their lubricants from their sexual partner, while gay men got them from friends and pharmacies. HIV-negative men who have sex with men used lubricants to facilitate penetration and reduce pain. HIV-positive men who have sex with men are likely to get their lubricants from pharmacies or friends. Men who have sex with men and women use Vaseline® significantly more than gay men as a lubricant. Results suggest that HIV prevention knowledge among gay men is greater; HIV prevention efforts should emphasise carrying water-based lubricant among men who have sex with men and women. Consequently, there is an opportunity to co-market condoms and water-based lubricants.
Description
Full text can be accessed at http://std.sagepub.com/content/early/2015/10/29/0956462415615067.abstract
Keywords
Sub-Saharan Africa, Gay men, Men who have sex with men, HIV prevention, Anal sex, Lubricant
Citation
Romijnders, K.A., Nyoni, J.E., Ross, M.W., McCurdy, S.A., Mbwambo, J., Kok, G. and Crutzen, R., 2015. Lubricant use and condom use during anal sex in men who have sex with men in Tanzania. International journal of STD & AIDS, p.0956462415615067.