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Doing It Wrong: Condoms Still Confusing To Many Americans
By
Garth Johnston
Published Feb 28, 2012
Modified Feb 28, 2012
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Feb 28, 2012
Modified Feb 28, 2012
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Sigh, do we all need remedial sex ed. classes? According to a new meta-report on condom usage in the journal Sexual Health a lot of people are still seriously struggling with the basics. For instance? 23.4 percent of men and 25.3 percent of women in one American study reported that they completely unroll a condom before putting it on. Meanwhile, a quirky company has gone and decided that what condoms really need are QR codes so you let the world know you got lucky. Because why not pause to check-in before sex?
The whole report out of the Kinsey Institute impressively goes through the many, many ways that people the world over still struggle with condoms (though there is far more data out of the developed world on the matter). So, what are people doing wrong?
Common errors include: incomplete use (i.e. late application of condoms after intercourse began, early removal of condom followed by unprotected intercourse), not leaving space at the tip, not squeezing air from the tip before use, putting the condom on inside out and having to flip it over, not using water-based lubricant and incorrect withdrawal.
Because of people's misinformation on how to use condoms, common problems seen include breakage, leakage, erection problems while putting the rubbers on and during intercourse and, naturally, problems with "the fit or feel of condoms."
Among the problems the study implies tangentially is that many of the groups who seem to have the most problems are low-income. For instance that terrifying unrolled condom statistic? That comes from a study of more than 1,000 predominately low-income people visiting a clinic. When interviewing University undergraduates the number of early rollers dropped down to 2.1 percent.
So, how should you put on a condom? Let's ask Planned Parenthood. Because, clearly, the movies are not the answer:
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Garth Johnston
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