Condom use among men who have sex with men within Metro Manila, Philippines: Associations with attitude towards its use and sexual health outcomes

• Main Author: Cadeliña, Joseph S.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2019
• Subjects: Condom use—Philippines—Metro Manila; Men—Sexual behavior—Philippines—Metro Manila; Male homosexuality—Philippines—Metro Manila; Medicine and Health
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/6614; https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=13592&context=etd_masteral
• Institution: De La Salle University

The purpose of this study was to determine and explain the level of condom use among men who have sex with men (MSM) within Metro Manila. It also intended to determine the associations between the level of attitude on condoms towards their level of condom use and the association of the direction of condom use attitude, level of sexual health knowledge, level of condom access and the associations of their level of condom use and sexual health outcomes. The research made use of a quantitative methodological approach utilizing an online self-administered survey questionnaire as a data collection tool using non-probability sampling of 415 MSM. The data gathered was analyzed using descriptive statistics to find means scores, frequencies and percentages. Meanwhile, a non-parametric inferential statistics were used to test the association of variables. Findings revealed that men who have sex with men have a high level of knowledge, high level of condom access, high level of condom use and good level of sexual health outcomes but with a negative attitude towards condom use. However, only one fourth of the respondents have knowledge on the new concept of undetectable equals unstransmittable, where in a person living with HIV who have undetectable viral load by taking antiretroviral drugs cannot transmit HIV sexually. Findings also revealed that sexual health knowledge and condom access have significant but negative association with condom use attitude while no significant association was found between the level of condom use attitude and condom use implying that attitudes has nothing to do with MSM’s condom use practices. However, a significant positive correlation was found between condom use and the level of sexual health outcomes. In conclusion, despite the high level of knowledge, condom access, condom use, and sexual health outcomes among men who have sex with men within Metro Manila, their condom use attitudes were negative and the researcher recommends further investigation to gather insights on the factors affecting their negative attitudes toward condom use. Furthermore, continuation and scaling up of condom distribution programs are recommended while behavioral change communication strategies should focus on changing the negative attitudes of MSM on condom use.