The relative role of perceived partner risks in promoting condom use in a three-city sample of high-risk, low-income women.
We examined the effect of women's perceptions of sexual partner risks on condom use. Women from three US cities (n = 1,967) were recruited to provide data on HIV risks. In univariate models, increased odds of condom use were associated with perceiving that partners had concurrent partners and being unaware of partners': (a) HIV status, (b) bisexuality, (c) concurrency; and/or (d) injection drug use. In multivariate models, neither being unaware of the four partner risk factors nor perceiving a partner as being high risk was associated with condom use. Contextual factors associated with decreased odds of condom use were having sex with a main partner, homelessness in the past year, alcohol use during sex, and crack use in the past 30 days. Awareness of a partner's risks may not be sufficient for increasing condom use. Contextual factors, sex with a main partner in particular, decrease condom use despite awareness of partner risk factors.
Ober
Allison J
AJ
Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, David Geffen School of Medicine, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, 90025, USA. ajober@ucla.edu
Iguchi
Martin Y
MY
Weiss
Robert E
RE
Gorbach
Pamina M
PM
Heimer
Robert
R
Ouellet
Lawrence J
LJ
Shoptaw
Steven
S
Anglin
M Douglas
MD
Zule
William A
WA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010465:Perception; D011203:Poverty; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000635:transmission; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult