The use of nonoxynol-9 for protection against cervical gonorrhea

S.S. Weir, P.J. Feldblum, L. Zekeng and R.E. Roddy

American Journal of Public Health, 1994, vol. 84, issue 6, 910-914

Abstract: Objectives. Although condoms are the best defense against sexually transmitted disease, little is known about the effectiveness of female- controlled methods containing nonoxynol-9 as backup protection when condoms are not being used. Methods. To assess the extent to which nonoxynol-9 protects women against gonorrhea, a cohort of 303 female sex workers (prostitutes) in Yaounde, Cameroon, were asked to use condoms and suppositories containing nonoxynol-9 at every sexual encounter and to record daily sexual activity and use of condoms and suppositories on coital logs that were reviewed monthly. Evidence of gonorrheal infection was based on a positive gonorrhea culture. Stratified analysis and proportional hazards regression were used to estimate rate ratios. Results. Forty-one women enrolled in the study were excluded from the current analysis. The estimated incidence of gonorrhea was 6.2 infections per 100 person-months of observation. Incidence rate ratios estimated from proportional hazards regression models controlling for condom use showed that using nonoxynol-9 during acts not protected by condoms reduced the risk of infection. Conclusions. Although the protective effect of condoms against sexually transmitted disease is greater than that afforded by nonoxynol-9, using nonoxynol-9 when condoms are not used is a far better strategy in gonorrhea prevention than using no method at all.

Date: 1994
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:1994:84:6:910-914_9

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