Acondom called 'OK' has been introduced to Cambodia in an attempt to promote safer
sex, greater control of reproduction, and to overcome implied mistrust of partners
who use condoms.
Population Services International, a US-based NGO that has been active in Cambodia
since 1993, launched the OK condom brand on April 7, with the same name as the OK
pill and OK injection.
Jacqueline Devine, deputy country representative for PSI, said OK aims to attract
new condom users, normalize condom use and to position condom use as a sign of caring,
particularly in trusting relationships such as married and sweetheart couples.
PSI last year conducted Cambodia's first HIV/AIDS Knowledge Attitude and Practices
general population household study of 3,643 men and women aged 15-49 in five provinces
plus Phnom Penh city.
Nguon Sovann, Products Manager of PSI, said the study found that while knowledge
of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections was high, some misconceptions remained.
He said nearly 100 per cent of men having sex with sex workers used a condom, but
few used condoms with regular partners and almost none with their spouse. A key reason
people did not use condoms was "trust": 87 percent of the study sample
said suggesting condom use insinuated mistrust [of the female's health]."
Married and sweetheart couples had a higher level of HIV/AIDS infection than sex
workers.
