Condom Survey Reveals NI Attitudes

A survey conducted about attitudes towards sex and using protection against HIV and Aids and other sexually transmitted infections in the UK has revealed that people in Northern Ireland are most likely to find buying condoms embarrassing.

The survey, which coincides with Northern Ireland's Contraceptive Awareness Week - and is just days ahead of St Valentine's Day - polled over 5,000 men and women across the UK, breaking down the results by region

"The Fusion Condoms survey clearly shows that attitudes towards safe sex in Northern Ireland are still not high on peoples' agendas.

"Fears about being embarrassed at the shop counter when buying condoms is placed higher than the fear of catching an STI or HIV or getting pregnant," said London pharmacist Shandip Shah, who launched new business Fusion Condoms after being shocked at the number of distraught teenage girls coming in to buy the morning after pill.

He said that the findings specific to Northern Ireland revealed that 65% said buying condoms "made them blush".

Northern Ireland also has the highest number of people, 81%, who say they've been caught without a condom at the essential moment.

However, it also showed that 24% of people in Northern Ireland would always carry a condom on a night out.

This compares favourably against other regions as in Scotland only 22%, and in Wales only 21% would always carry a condom on a night out.

Northern Ireland people are also conservative in their sexual behaviour, with the lowest regional figure, only 18%, saying they've had sex with more than one person in 24 hours, compared to a more liberal 61% in Wales.

The 2008 Fusion Sex Survey also showed 93% of people from Northern Ireland want more discreet condom packaging.

Shandip Shah continued: "People want to use condoms so we need to ensure they're made more widely available which is why we are distributing via Northern Ireland's largest family-owned pharmacy and health & beauty chain, Gordons Chemists.

People have asked for more discreet packaging and affordable prices - Fusion Condoms provides just that," he claimed.

John Clark, General Manager, Gordons Chemists said: "We welcome the launch of Fusion Condoms in Northern Ireland. The condoms are available in all 49 of our stores Province-wide."

(BMcC/JM)