"Love in Safety" Condom Education Project Popular with Teensby Elizabeth Gardiner Fall 1996Population Services International (PSI) and its local partner, the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, is working to improve reproductive health in the Sverdlovsk region through an innovative condom distribution program. We distribute inexpensive but high quality "Favorite" brand condoms at a low cost to consumers through promotions in pharmacies and kiosks throughout the region. The brand name, packaging and Russian use instructions were developed through focus group research with young Russians, whose opinions have guided us throughout the project.
These promotion and distribution techniques are working. Since the condoms went on the market on World AIDS Day 1995 (December 1), more than 800,000 have been sold. Over 2,200 young people have attended Favorite special events, and more than 500 medical and education professionals have participated in seminars on the topic of contraceptives and their use. A local news agency produced a 25-minute program on the project which received high ratings on local TV. We are now placing an order for a new shipment of condoms and planning the next series of trainings and events. We are currently seeking funding to continue our activities in the Sverdlovsk region and to replicate this project in other parts of Russia and the former Soviet Union. Perhaps most importantly, PSI has worked closely with local staff in Ekaterinburg to develop their skills in areas such as media planning, focus group research, marketing, financial management and sales. We now have well-trained, professional staff members who are fully capable of continuing these social marketing activities. One of them, our marketing director Olga Trofimova, recently traveled to the international AIDS conference in Vancouver as part of the Russian delegation, to present a poster on the project. Olga then received additional training in social marketing from PSI's Washington staff, and met with other American NGOs, including ISAR. [See box.] Her enthusiasm for her work is contagious. "Our goal is that soon one will be able to go out and buy a condom at any time of day or night in Sverdlovsk region," she declared. Elizabeth Gardiner is country director of PSI's contraceptive social marketing project in Russia.
An interview with Olga Trofimova, marketing director for PSI's condom distribution program ST: What cultural barriers had to be overcome to encourage youth to buy condoms? At first, we were really nervous about expressing our concerns to the public because the word "condom" (preservatif in Russian) almost has the connotations of a swear word. In pharmacies, people don't even say the word "condom," they say "product number 2." We did research among 15 to 25yearolds, and we found that the biggest problem among youth is the need for reliable information. So we felt we could initiate these conversations more openly, because we saw that people really wanted information. We conducted polls to figure out people's attitudes about love and sex in order to design condom packaging that would be attractive to people. We learned that for the majority, "sex" is associated with something negative and temporary, whereas "love" is longterm, and what most people really want. We finally chose a slogan everyone would like- "Love in Safety." Olga explained that at first the project tried to reach youth in schools, but this approach was unsuccessful. When we went into schools and explained condom use, even though there was no teacher, the students were really quiet and couldn't relax. They felt very awkward. It was only after we left the school that they began to ask questions. School is school. We decided to try something different and do our programs in places where people are relaxed and comfortable, so we organized a discotheque. It was very successful. They asked serious questions, and they asked for information for their friends. As we began organizing various activities educating kids about safe sex, we learned that this work was very important because all of this is so new and unusual-being able to say the word preservatif. We planned dances where there would be contests and games for people to have fun and get information. The first time we said the word during a break between dances, they almost died! There was a strained silence in the hall and many of them had big round eyes... Later, kids began to call from all over the city asking if we could plan more events, so it turned out to be really popular, probably because this whole subject has been forbidden for so long. Now we have discos once a month in different cities. ST: From your pictures, the teenagers look like they're having fun, they're smiling... We value positive reinforcement. We don't like to scare people. We don't want to say "Use them or you'll get infected!" We say, "If you want to be happy, healthy, in control of your life, you must use condoms." We think that positive motivation is more effective than getting angry or trying to scare kids. ST: What about AIDS? Is part of your challenge to prevent the spread of HIV? Yes, and I think students are pretty well-informed about AIDS. Five years ago I conducted research and learned that 15 and 16-year-olds are informed, but don't think of AIDS as a serious, immediate threat. In the Sverdlovsk region, home to 4.5 million people, 17 are HIV positive. Most people think it's far away, abroad, etc. Our strategy is to talk about AIDS, but more about STDs, which seem more immediate to people. I think if that strategy is effective, we can also be effective in preventing AIDS. ST: What about fear of unwanted pregnancy? Yes, that's definitely a problem. There have always been high abortion rates in Russia, and there still are. When we were talking to kids, we found that boys were more inclined to cite disease prevention as a reason to use condoms, while girls cited contraception. ST: How have parents responded to your work? Parents, and also medical workers, have said that we are doing important work, but have expressed concern that we are going to encourage sexual activity and negate our progress. We try not to tell people what to do. We emphasize that they have choices. First, a person has the conscious choice whether to become sexually active or not. He or she has the conscious choice to become infected or not. We decided to approach it from the perspective that everyone's choice should be made consciously and responsibly. Populations Services International: 1120 19th St.NW, Suite 600, Washington,DC 20036; ph: (202) 785-0072; fax: (202) 785-0120 www.isar.org/isar/RusPSI44.html < |
While ensuring availability of high quality condoms is one component
of the project, we are also seeking to change attitudes about reproductive
health and increase condom usage, especially among young people age 15 to
25. At special events in settings where young people feel comfortable-discotheques,
outdoor festivals and concerts, we provide information about prevention
of unwanted pregnancy, STDs and HIV/AIDS. We recently launched our media
campaign with two television ads and four radio spots which air on local
media. In late July we distributed condoms and held a contest at a concert
in Ekaterinburg's stadium. Another popular activity is a lottery where participants
get a ticket from every package of condoms they buy, giving them the chance
to win T-shirts and other items with the Favorite logo.
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