Can we adapt condom activities in an evidence-based program to include a verbal description rather than a physical demonstration?

The short answer is no. The condom information and skills practice are core components of many of these evidence-based programs and should be delivered as written.

However, some school districts place restrictions on things of this nature. When there are policies in place that do not allow students to handle condoms, one alternative to ensure youth understand the process is to use a condom line-up or similar activity in which students put the steps for using a condom in the proper order.

If there is pressure to eliminate all the condom content from the intervention, ETR would recommend using an abstinence-based curriculum, such as Making a Difference or Promoting Health Among Teens—Abstinence Only instead. These programs do not contain condom demonstrations or condom skills practice. It’s much better to go with a curriculum already set up to avoid the issue of condoms than to eliminate a core component of an evidence-based program designed to impact condom use among youth.