Beliefs about condoms and their association with intentions to use condoms among youths in detention.

ABSTRACT

PIP: The authors surveyed 201 teenagers of mean age 15.9 years in a large urban juvenile detention center in the Northwest US on their sex behaviors, beliefs about condoms, intentions to use condoms, and actual condom use. The group was comprised of 51 African American males, 50 African American females, 50 white males, and 50 white females. Aged 14-19, all had engaged in heterosexual intercourse during the previous three months. 66% had not finished high school and 78% were unemployed prior to incarceration. The average age of first intercourse was 13 years. 77% reported having had sex with five or more partners, 15% reported having had paid sex, at least 10% had sex with a needle user, and less than 4% reported having sex with a same-sex partner. 85% had a steady partner with whom they had had sex during the past three months. 16% used condoms every time with the partner, while more than 33% reported never using a condom with the partner. 18% reported having anal sex with a steady partner in the past three months, 10% of whom reported using a condom for each such act. 52% reported having had sex with a casual partner in the past three months, not including paid or paying partners. 55% of these youths reported using a condom during the most recent act of sexual intercourse with a casual partner. 13% of the 23% reporting having anal sex in the previous three months with a casual partner used a condom. Very little difference was seen according to race or gender with regard to condom use, intentions to use condoms, or belief about the consequences of using condoms. Beliefs associated with intentions to use condoms with steady partners included protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STD) and beliefs that condoms reduce pleasure, are artificial, unromantic, and interrupt sex. Only the belief that condoms prevent pregnancy was related to intentions to use condoms with casual partners. Pregnancy and STD prevention programs targeted to this population should take these findings into consideration.