Trust, Caution, and Condom Use With Regular Partners: An Evaluation of the Trusted Partner Campaign Targeting Youth in Four Countries
Research suggests that youth do not use condoms because they trust their partner. This article describes the Trusted Partner regional behavior change communication campaign and uses data from Lesotho, Mozambique, Uganda, and Zambia to evaluate the impact of the campaign.
Cross-sectional surveys of youth aged 15 to 24 were conducted in each country before and after the campaign. The surveys measured elements related to trust and condom use with a regular partner. Regional campaigns appear to be a cost-effective way to reach large numbers of youth, but more detailed measures of exposure should be pursued to improve program evaluations.
One foggy October night, a U.S. Naval Ship was sailing off the coast of Newfoundland. Seeing a light in the distance, the Captain of the ship called over the radio and said, “Please divert your course .5 degrees south to avoid a collision.” A voice came over the radio in reply, “We recommend you divert your course 15 degrees north to avoid a collision.” The Captain said again, “This is the Captain of a US Navy Ship. I say again, divert your course.” In defiance, the voice on the other line said, “No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.” Frustrated and angry, the Navy Captain said once again, “THIS IS A UNITED STATES AIRCRAFT CARRIER - WE ARE A LARGE WARSHIP OF THE US NAVY. DIVERT YOUR COURSE NOW!!” This time, he heard in reply, “We are a light house. It’s your call.” 
