Comprehensive Condom Use Programs I. Definition of the
Prevention Area Unprotected sex is the leading cause of HIV
transmission, accounting for more than 80 percent of the total
number of infections. Male and female condoms, when worn
correctly, serve as an impermeable barrier to the sexual
exchange of secretions that carry HIV and a number of other
sexually transmitted infections (STIs), providing protection
against transmission. In recent guidance on HIV prevention, the
U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)
recommends programming that combines multiple, evidence-based
approaches to increase availability, accessibility,
acceptability, and use of condoms in targeted groups and in the
general population. Comprehensive condom programming remains an
essential component of combination prevention programs. II.
Epidemiological Justification for the Prevention Area Condoms,
both male and female versions, are the most effective barrier
method currently available to sexually active individuals who r