Vol.55 No.2 March 2007
A condom campaign for the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases in Japanese teenagers
Japan Association for Development of Community Medicine Health Promotion Research Center,
Toshi Center 9F, 2-4-1 Hirakawa-cho, Chiyodaku, Tokyo, Japan
Abstract
Ten percent of junior-high school pupils and 40% of high school pupils have initial sexual intercourse in Japan. However, only half of them use condom, therefore, the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and the risk of unexpected pregnancy are high in Japanese teenagers. Disappointingly, the movement against condom campaign for teenagers or the law of sales limitation of condom for teenagers are present. The most effective tool of condom campaign is the TV commercial of condom. However, TV commercials of condom are self-regulated in Japan, and these circumstances do not contribute condom campaign. On the other hand, the usefulness of condom use for the prevention of STDs is described in the textbook of junior-high school. In addition, the details of appropriate condom use are described with some photographs in the textbook of high school. It is very important to give teenagers impression and sympathy to condom. One's sexual partners, who do not use condom because it is bothersome or uncomfortable, are unsympathetic to one with the explanation quoting the Mother Teresa's word "The opposite of love is indifference".
Key word
teenager, prevention, sexually transmitted disease, condom, campaign
Received
November 30, 2006
Accepted
January 12, 2007
Jpn. J. Chemother. 55 (2): 154-159, 2007
