Assessing condom use practices. Implications for evaluating method and user effectiveness.

BACKGROUND

Consistent and correct condom use remains important to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention. Although many studies evaluate consistent condom use, few examine how condoms are used during intercourse.

GOALS: Assess how user practices affect exposure to risks of pregnancy and infection during condom use.

STUDY

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey on condom behaviors in the past month was conducted among 98 male students attending two Georgia universities.

RESULTS

Altogether, 35 of 270 total condom uses (13.0%, 95% confidence interval, 7.4-18.5) resulted in potential exposure to sexually transmitted disease and/or HIV infection or pregnancy. Both consistent and inconsistent users were similarly likely to report potential exposures during condom use.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest condom problems occur among both consistent and inconsistent users. Future studies of condom effectiveness must distinguish whether condoms were used both consistently and correctly.