LOS ANGELES–(Business Wire)–A survey by AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) studying the effectiveness of its social marketing efforts found that men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) reported using condoms nearly 64% of the time, while the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) sponsored 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) showed that despite a decrease in usage from ten years ago, 59% of young people still report using condoms. Despite a recent push by the CDC to encourage high-risk individuals to take a daily AIDS treatment tablet as a form of possible HIV prevention in a procedure known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), condoms remain the most effective barrier protection to prevent transmission of HIV and a number of other sexually transmitted diseases.

The AHF survey, conducted by L.A.-based Sentient Research, surveyed over 600 Los Angeles area gay men and MSM in February and March of this year. Participants were asked questions about AHF’s extensive social marketing and advertising—including their ‘Awareness & Associated Behaviors’ or their recall of, and reactions to artwork for AHF billboards and bus bench ads as well as print and online advertisements. Study participants also were queried on their sexual practices including condom use during the previous six months.

“We are heartened to see that despite rumors and hearsay to the contrary, a majority of gay men report using condoms, which remain by far the most effective method of preventing HIV and STD transmission when used—and when used properly,” said Michael Weinstein, president of AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

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