A pilot test of a self-guided, home-based intervention to improve condom-related sexual experiences, attitudes, and behaviors among young women.

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a pilot test of a brief, self-guided, home-based program designed to improve male condom use attitudes and behaviors among young women.

PARTICIPANTS

Women aged 18-24 years from a large Midwestern University reporting having had penile-vaginal sex with two or more partners in the past 3 months. Sixty-seven enrolled; 91.0% completed the study.

METHODS

A repeated measures design was used, with assessments occurring at baseline, immediately  post intervention (T2), and 30 days subsequent (T3).

RESULTS

Condom use errors and problems decreased, condom-related attitudes and self-efficacy improved, and experiences of condom-protected sex were rated more positively when comparing baseline with T2 and T3 scores. Further, the proportion of condom-protected episodes more than doubled between T1 and T3 for those in the lowest quartile for condom use at baseline.

CONCLUSION

This low-resource, home-based program improved condom-related attitudes and promoted the correct and consistent use of condoms.