CONDOM AVAILABILITY PROGRAMS IN US SCHOOLS

School condom availability programs have been promoted as a promising approach for increasing condom use among students, for reducing the ri sk of infections with the human immunodeficiency virus and with other sexually transmitted diseases and for preventing unintended pregnancy. Data for a telephone survey of key individuals at school condom progr ams across the United States suggest that as of January 1995, at least 431 public schools in 50 U.S. school districts made condoms available -2.2% of all public high schools and 0.3% of high school districts. In about half of the schools that were surveyed, students obtained more than one condom pre student per year, on average, and in 14% students obtained more than six. Students in alternative schools, in schools th at made condoms available in baskets and in schools with health clinic s obtained more condoms per student per year that did students in othe r schools.