title: Failure to embrace the barrier/condom use message.
abstract: The objective of this study was to examine the consistency of barrier/condom use among men who have sex with men in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The authors sought to determine if barrier/condom usage patterns were associated with the type of sex act and whether it was insertive or receptive, HIV testing frequency, and number of sexual partners. Data were extracted from a 2003 community health assessment of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered community in the metropolitan area. The health assessment instrument was anonymous, self-administered, and distributed at events in that community. Responses from 623 men indicated that consistent use of a barrier/condom was low regardless of the sex act. There was no relationship between barrier/condom usage patterns and HIV testing frequency for any sex act or the number of sex partners, with the exception of anal intercourse. The authors concluded that a different approach is needed to translate the barrier/condom use message into a behavioral response.
authors.affiliation: Kansas City Health Department, Kansas City, USA.
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Snook
authors.forename: Gerald L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Hoff
authors.forename: Jinwen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Russell
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003256:Community Participation; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006306:Health Surveys; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007615:Kansas / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D008923:Missouri / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012309:Risk-Taking; D021841:Safe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012736:Sex Education; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013690:Television; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data