(love hotels). New policies are needed to overcome the low levels of contraceptive use in Perú. Hostales could serve as a distribution point in a condom availability program. The last-minute decision of condom use might be affected by the type and brand provided. Previous studies used self-reported measures of use; this methodology is unreliable. New methods are needed. A hostal was used for a field experiment. Its rooms were divided into seven treatments by combining different condom brands (Durex, Piel, Generic/State-provided) and types (Extra-thin, Extra-safe, Textured) and a Control group. Clients were randomly assigned to a room with one free condom or to the control group (no condom provided). Instead of relying on self-reports, I searched the recently vacated room for used condoms. 423 couples were studied. Using Barnard's Exact Test, statistically significant differences in condom use were found between the control group (23%) and Piel Extra-thin (40%), Piel Extra-safe (41%), Durex Extra-safe (37%), and Durex Textured (34%). No effect from Generic/State-provided condoms (29%) or Durex Extra-thin (25%) was identified. Providing condoms from commercial, well-known brands significantly increased condom use; providing generic condoms did not. No effect from condom type was found; the lack of effect from Durex Extra-thin appears to stem from couples not perceiving the free condom. Additional research is needed.
Ignacio Franco Vega (Wed,) studied this question.