Using condom is `economically' worthwhile

JAKARTA (JP): Use a condom when having sex. It's worthwhile not only from a health point of view but also from an economic point of view.

During a seminar at the University of Indonesia's School of Economics yesterday, Gerard Russo from the East-West Center in Hawaii pointed out, however, that the economic benefit measured by the expected value of life gained, will be more of an incentive for the female than for the male.

"A man may know that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is there, but if the probability is small, he may still not want to use a condom," Russo said. "Women have more at stake than men."

"When a male in America has sex with a female, the risk is lower that he will get it because he either already has it, or she does not," he pointed out.

Russo's study on the use of condoms in the presence of the HIV risk and the role of economic and epidemiological variables, was based on several earlier studies in the United States.

His studies, with samples taken from various health centers across the United States, show that females are more susceptible to HIV than males, which means that the probability of a HIV- positive male to transmit the virus to a HIV-negative female through vaginal intercourse was greater than vice versa.

Through anal intercourse by homosexual couples, a HIV-positive "receptive" partner would have a bigger chance of transmitting the virus to his HIV-negative "insertive" partner than if the "insertive" partner was the one carrying HIV.

Based on the premise that a person with HIV -- and later with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) -- would have a shorter life expectancy, Russo calculated that a female would have a greater benefit from using a condom than a male would, although the extent of this would also vary according to the female and male's race.

A black person, for example, due to his economic conditions and domicile in mostly urban areas, is more susceptible to HIV than a white person. The susceptibility of a person of Hispanic origin would be somewhere between the two.

Russo calculated that a black female having vaginal intercourse with a black male, for instance, would have a high risk of transmission.

Putting money figures on the life value of a person at $670,000, Russo discovered that a black female would benefit $6.70 while the black male would gain $2.82 from using a condom.

Their joint expected benefit of using a condom, $9.52, was calculated as being the highest compared to the benefit gained by a female and male of different race.

Meanwhile, a white male and female couple would have the lowest benefit of using a condom, which was totaled to $0.61.

The probability of getting HIV in rural areas is also low, thus the benefit of using a condom would be so as well. However, such a community would be very vulnerable and once HIV is introduced, it can become epidemic, Russo said.

He stressed, however, that using condoms does not entirely eliminate the possibility of getting HIV. Condoms from latex are most effective while those from organic material, such as goat skin, have pores which can still be penetrated by the virus.

"There are other methods of contraception which are better than condoms, but, apart from abstinence and complete monogamous behavior, condoms are the best way to prevent HIV," Russo said.

He suggested couples to use several methods simultaneously: condoms to protect against HIV and other method against unwanted pregnancy. (pwn)