Perceptions about Nirodh among users and peripheral health workers: a psycho-social study.

The condom Nirodh is made in India and distributed nationally both free of cost and commercially at a subsidized nominal cost. Only an estimated 4.4 million individuals however used the condom in 1981-82. This study was conducted to identify Nirodh users in urban and rural district settings estimate and cross-check the rate of effective use with official records study the perceptions of peripheral family planning workers about the Nirodh program and study the perceptions and experiences of Nirodh users and their spouses. A total sample of 598 urban men and their spouses and 187 rural men and the spouses were surveyed and interviewed in 1984-85 in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. 15 family planning workers from 4 Urban Welfare Centers and 48 from 2 PHC areas were also interviewed in the study. The study found low acceptance of Nirodh to not be related to any undesirable experiences or user perceptions but simply to be the result of inadequate promotion by the national family planning program. Further a large percentage of users were unaware of the free supply; most obtain them from commercial outlets in the interest of maintaining confidentiality; respondents were secretive about their use; and a few preferred other commercial brands as softer and lubricated. The majority found Nirodh useful and effective as well as physically and psychologically satisfying. If properly promoted Nirodh holds greater promise of being accepted and effective without complications or side effects than the oral pill and IUD. It is recommended that the government strongly promote Nirodh through the mass media to both increase general public awareness and dispel some of the taboo associated with condom use invest in commercial distribution outlets and social marketing and provide free condoms only to those who directly ask at the clinic or of field workers improve product quality and enclose diagrammed instructions within packets and provide adequate monitoring and supervision of product dissemination among the public.