RESUMO
This study aimed to examine perceptual factors associated with condom use; and the relationship between condom use and the timing of sexual debut among male secondary school students in Nairobi; Kenya. Data are from the TeenWeb study; a school-based project that used the World Wide Web to assess the health needs of secondary school students; and tested the web's utility as a teaching and research modality. Analyses are based on 214 sexually experienced males aged 14 - 20 years who completed web-based questionnaires about their sexual attitudes and behaviour. Results indicate that students did not see themselves as susceptible to HIV/AIDS and believed condom effectiveness in preventing HIV to be low. Consequently; only a marginal association was found between agreeing that buying condoms is embarrassing and condom use at first sexual intercourse. However; contrary to expectation; agreeing that condoms often break (almost half of participants) was associated with a higher likelihood of condom use at first sex. Each year of delay in sexual debut increased the likelihood of using a condom at first sex by 1.44 times. In turn; having used a condom at first sex increased the likelihood of using one at the most recent sex by 4.81 times; and elevated general condom use (`most or all the time') by 8.76 times. Interventions to increase awareness about the role of condoms in preventing HIV; delay sexual initiation; and teach proper condom use among secondary-school students in Nairobi are needed