Factors explaining intent, discussion and use of condoms in first-time sexual encounters

Autor: Vicki S. Freimuth, Timothy Edgar, Sharon Lee Hammond, Edward L. Fink, Deborah A. McDonald
Rok vydání: 1992
Předmět:
Zdroj: Health Education Research. 7:203-215
ISSN: 1465-3648
0268-1153
DOI: 10.1093/her/7.2.203
Popis: A 1990 Centers for Disease Control seroprevalence study conducted on 19 university campuses found 1/500 college students to be seropositive for HIV. Regular condom use among college women has however increased from 12% in 1975 to 21% in 1986 to 41% in 1989. The authors hypothesize and test the notion that individuals approach an episode of sexual intercourse with some predispositions about condoms; some who want to use condoms may initiate discussion of the topic with the partner; and a condom may or may not ultimately be used depending upon discussion about use and availability. 74 male 128 female and 2 other college students aged 18-32 in a large eastern metropolitan area completed a 14-page questionnaire as participants in the study. 90% of respondents were sophomores juniors and seniors aged 18-22 and all had had intercourse with at least 1 new partner of the opposite sex in the preceding 12 months. 43% had used a condom at most recent intercourse with the new partner. 32% reported having 10 or more sex partners in their lifetime; 18% had had 5 or more partners in the past year; and 36% had not used a condom the 1st time with any of their sexual partners in the 1st year yet 69% felt at no or very low risk of being exposed to HIV. Discriminator variables include AIDS saliency assessment of AIDS risk alcohol/drug use condom use self-efficacy communication self-efficacy erotophobia/erotophilia health locus of control length of relationship risky behavior and self-esteem. The evidence supports the 3-stage model. Moreover erotophobia/erotophilia and assessment of AIDS risk best discriminate between those who wanted to use condoms and those who did not; communication self-efficacy alcohol/drug use external locus of control and erotophobia/erotophilia were the most important discriminators for the communication stage; and condom self-efficacy risky behavior and self-esteem were the most important discriminators for actual condom use. It should be noted that individuals reporting higher levels of previous risky behavior were more likely to report using condoms.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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