[Use of condoms during sexual intercourse: a population-based study].
OBJECTIVE
To describe characteristics associated with failure to use condoms during sexual intercourse by women.


METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional population-based study including 1,026 women aged 20-60 years living in the urban area of a city in Southern Brazil, in 2003. Cluster sampling was carried out by randomly selecting 40 of the city's 270 census sectors. We performed logistic regression analysis of failure to use condoms in relation to socioeconomic, demographic, obstetric, and health care usage variables.


RESULTS
Among studied women, 867 (84.5%) reported being sexually active; of these, 252 (29.1%) wore condoms during sexual intercourse. Logistic regression showed that the most vulnerable groups were women who were married or in stable partnerships, and women aged more than 40 years. We found no associations with the other variables explored.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence of condom use was low; we were able to identify a group of women that needs to be targeted by health policies and services in order to improve perception of the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases.
Carreno
Ioná
I
Programa de Pós-Graduacão em Saude Coletiva, Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos, São Leopoldo, RS, Brasil.
da Costa
Juvenal Soares Dias
JS
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001938:Brazil; D003075:Coitus / Q000523:psychology*; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population