Dual Protection Dilemma

Kiyomi Tsuyuki, University of California, Los Angeles
Regina Maria Barbosa, Núcleo de Estudos de População

The global syndemic of HIV and unintended pregnancy has prompted research on dual protection, the simultaneous protection against HIV and unintended pregnancy. Condoms remain the mainstay of dual protection, but studies find that as partners transition into a more committed romantic relationship, condoms are replaced with non-barrier contraception. Researchers agree that dual protection measures must expand to include condom use consistency and a wider range of contraceptive methods. We analyze data from the 2006 Pesquisa Nacional Demografica e da Saúde da Criança e da Mulher, a nationally representative household survey of women of reproductive age in Brazil. Using descriptive techniques and multinomial logistic regression we: (1) examine how dual protection varies by relationship type; (2) estimate how sociodemographic characteristics and relationship type affects dual protection; and (3) examine how patterns of dual protection differ for women who are sterilized and for women who use dual methods.