Using Communication Tools and Social Marketing to Increase Condom Distribution Among African Americans In Washington, D.C

Background:  According to the latest District of Columbia Epidemiology Annual Report (2007), the District has the highest AIDS prevalence rate nationally. This rate is 11 times higher than the national average. Although African Americans in the District comprised 55.4% of the population in 2006, they accounted for 78.9% of all newly diagnosed cases of HIV and approximately 81.2% of living AIDS cases. To combat this, Community Education Group (CEG), which targets high risk African Americans in the District, increased its prevention efforts to make male and female condoms available at locations throughout the District. CEG incorporated the use of communication tools and social marketing rather than solely relying on one-on-one street outreach for condom distribution.

Program background:  CEG utilized direct information as a recruitment strategy to engage businesses in the community as condom distribution network partners. The objective was to target businesses in all eight Wards of the District known to be frequented by high risk individuals, recruit them to join our condom distribution network, provide them with education around how to utilize both the male and female condom, utilize businesses as distribution points for tailored prevention messages, social media and maintain a relationship with the sites to consistently supply them with condoms and social marketing materials such as posters and brochures. CEG also provided additional training and education as necessary.   CEG launched our Rubberman Campaign to spearhead our efforts to saturate the community with social media promoting correct and consistent condom use. Rubberman was developed in the likeness of a super hero, all campaign collateral has an image of Rubberman with the campaign catch line of “Here to protect you”.

Evaluation Methods and Results:  From January 2010 to December 2010, CEG was able to recruit 216 businesses to participate in CEG’s condom distribution network. These sites serve as locations to provide free male and female condoms throughout the District in settings that are less stigmatized than going to an HIV organization or drugstore and “asking” for condoms”.  As a result of recruiting and maintaining a condom distribution network, CEG has been able to distribute over 250,000 condoms in businesses salons throughout the District.

Conclusions:  Bringing male and female condoms to places where African Americans frequent results in increased access to prevention tools in the community. Using communications tools and social media that are culturally appropriate to targeted population is useful in informing community members about benefits of using condoms consistently and where to access condoms. Rubberman became associated with free condoms and through market saturation in hundreds of local businesses is now recognized as the symbol for free condoms. The availability and discussion in the community about male and female condoms can increase community norms around the utilization of condoms. While condoms are just one tool in the arsenal in the fight against HIV in the District, they are a strong prevention instrument.

Implications for research and/or practice: Improved access and promotion of consistent and correct condom use among targeted population.