Skip to main content
American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 1994 Dec;84(12):1897–1900. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.12.1897

Standardized protocols for condom breakage and slippage trials: a proposal.

M Steiner 1, J Trussell 1, L Glover 1, C Joanis 1, A Spruyt 1, L Dorflinger 1
PMCID: PMC1615370  PMID: 7998626

Abstract

In the absence of well-controlled studies on the clinical effectiveness of condoms against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, breakage and slippage data may provide the best indication of the protection offered by condom use. According to the recent literature, condom breakage rates range from 0% to 12%, with many US studies falling in the 2% to 5% range. Few studies have collected slippage data. In addition to discussing methodological issues associated with these studies, we propose a standardized protocol for future condom breakage and slippage trials and discuss how results may be used to estimate perfect-use and typical-use pregnancy rates.

Full text

PDF
1900

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Albert A. E., Hatcher R. A., Graves W. Condom use and breakage among women in a municipal hospital family planning clinic. Contraception. 1991 Feb;43(2):167–176. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(91)90044-g. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Free M. J., Hutchings J., Lubis F., Natakusumah R. An assessment of burst strength distribution data for monitoring quality of condom stocks in developing countries. Contraception. 1986 Mar;33(3):285–299. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(86)90020-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Golombok S., Sketchley J., Rust J. Condom failure among homosexual men. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1989;2(4):404–409. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Kestelman P., Trussell J. Efficacy of the simultaneous use of condoms and spermicides. Fam Plann Perspect. 1991 Sep-Oct;23(5):226-7, 232. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Richters J., Donovan B., Gerofi J. How often do condoms break or slip off in use? Int J STD AIDS. 1993 Mar-Apr;4(2):90–94. doi: 10.1177/095646249300400206. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Richters J., Donovan B., Gerofi J., Watson L. Low condom breakage rate in commercial sex. Lancet. 1988 Dec 24;2(8626-8627):1487–1488. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(88)90958-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Russell-Brown P., Piedrahita C., Foldesy R., Steiner M., Townsend J. Comparison of condom breakage during human use with performance in laboratory testing. Contraception. 1992 May;45(5):429–437. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(92)90156-n. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Steiner M., Foldesy R., Cole D., Carter E. Study to determine the correlation between condom breakage in human use and laboratory test results. Contraception. 1992 Sep;46(3):279–288. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(92)90008-h. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Steiner M., Piedrahita C., Glover L., Joanis C. Can condom users likely to experience condom failure be identified? Fam Plann Perspect. 1993 Sep-Oct;25(5):220-3, 226. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Steiner M., Piedrahita C., Glover L., Joanis C., Spruyt A., Foldesy R. The impact of lubricants on latex condoms during vaginal intercourse. Int J STD AIDS. 1994 Jan-Feb;5(1):29–36. doi: 10.1177/095646249400500108. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Thompson J. L., Yager T. J., Martin J. L. Estimated condom failure and frequency of condom use among gay men. Am J Public Health. 1993 Oct;83(10):1409–1413. doi: 10.2105/ajph.83.10.1409. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Trussell J., Warner D. L., Hatcher R. A. Condom slippage and breakage rates. Fam Plann Perspect. 1992 Jan-Feb;24(1):20–23. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Trussell J., Warner D. L., Hatcher R. Condom performance during vaginal intercourse: comparison of Trojan-Enz and Tactylon condoms. Contraception. 1992 Jan;45(1):11–19. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(92)90137-i. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Voeller B., Coulson A. H., Bernstein G. S., Nakamura R. M. Mineral oil lubricants cause rapid deterioration of latex condoms. Contraception. 1989 Jan;39(1):95–102. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(89)90018-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. de Graaf R., Vanwesenbeeck I., van Zessen G., Straver C. J., Visser J. H. The effectiveness of condom use in heterosexual prostitution in The Netherlands. AIDS. 1993 Feb;7(2):265–269. doi: 10.1097/00002030-199302000-00016. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from American Journal of Public Health are provided here courtesy of American Public Health Association

RESOURCES