PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF CONDOM ERRORS AMONG SEXUALLY ACTIVE RESIDENTS OF GEM SUB-COUNTY, SIAYA, COUNTY WESTERN KENYA, 2012-2014

Condom effectiveness is compromised by user errors. We set out to examine the rates of condom use and condom errors among sexually active persons living within a Health Demographic Surveillance this high HIV prevalence area in Western Kenya. We analyzed data from the second round of a longitudinal bio-behavioral survey that was conducted in Gem, Siaya County between November 2012 and February 2014.Logistic regression analysis was done to identify predictors of condom use among all sexually active persons and condom errors among participants reporting condom use in the past 3 months. Of 7815 persons interviewed minority (39%) reported having used male condoms with at least one sexual partner in the past 3 months of whom 459 (15%) reported condom errors. Majority of those reporting condom errors had experienced ‘incomplete use’ (i.e. (a combination of early removal, late application or both early removal and late application). Participants who had experienced condom errors were significantly more likely to be aged