Condom use behaviours among 18–24 year-old urban African American males: a qualitative study

Abstract

The purpose of this pilot project was to develop, administer and assess a brief male-focused and behavioural-driven condom promotion programme for young adult African American males in an urban setting. To achieve the aims of this study, linkages with local community centres were initially fostered and both quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed. Based on relevant tenets of the social cognitive theory and the stages of change model, a series of focus groups were conducted among the target population, recruited from non-traditional urban settings, to identify and further explore their perceived condom use barriers and facilitators in order to support programme development. Specifically, the topical items addressed those young men's perceptions of sexuality and condom use within three broad contexts: general sexual behaviours, condom use behaviours, and the relationship between condoms and substance use. The focus group discussions were audiotaped and the transcribed data summarized and analysed based on those thematic topics. The findings revealed that significant myths, misconceptions and knowledge gaps exist regarding HIV/STD-related prevention, condom promotion and substance use. The findings imply that there is a critical need to develop target group suitable condom promotion programmes in order to successfully promote, foster and sustain condom use among high-risk populations.

Relationship-Specific Condom Attitudes Predict Condom Use Among STD Clinic Patients with both Primary and Non-primary Partners

“…First, participants reported more favorable relationship-specific attitudes towards condom use with a non-primary partner versus with a primary partner. This finding corroborates reports from qualitative research that condom use is more difficult in primary relationships because it reduces intimacy and implies a lack of trust (17–19). Our study is one of the first to quantitatively document that attitudes towards condom use differ when considering condom use with primary versus non-primary partners.…”

“…Qualitative research finds that individuals have different attitudes towards condom use in a committed relationship versus condom use with casual partners. It is more difficult to use condoms in committed relationships because condom use reduces intimacy and implies a lack of trust (17–19). Different attitudes towards condom use in committed versus casual relationships likely explains, at least in part, the finding that rates of condom use with non-primary partners are much higher than rates of condom use with primary partners (4, 20–22), and why condom use in relationships declines over time (23).…”

Patterns of condom use among students at historically Black colleges and universities: Implications for HIV prevention efforts among college-age young adults

“…Previous reports suggest that condom use may be influenced by several factors, including feelings of invulnerability, substance use, partner trust, more parental communication, sexual education courses, and believing that condoms are effective at preventing pregnancy as well as sexually transmitted infections (Adefuye, Abiona, Balogun, & Lukobo-Durrell, 2009;Corbett, Dickson-Gomez, Hilario, & Weeks, 2009;Charnigo, Crosby, & Troutman, 2010;Drumright, Gorbach, & Holmes, 2004;Kennedy, Nolen, Applewhite, Waiters, & Vanderhoff, 2007;Ober et al, 2010;Riehman, Wechsberg, Francis, Moore, & Morgan-Lopez, 2006;Reitman et al, 1996;Wingood & DiClemente, 1998a, b). To date, studies that focused on young adult, African-American students in the unique sociocultural context of a historically Black college or university (HBCU) have been less and have not fully explored the factors associated with condom use patterns and reasons for or against condom use with students (Adepoju, Watkins, & Richardson, 2009;Burns & Dillon, 2005;Mongkuo, Mushi, & Thomas, 2010;Payne et al, 2006;Thomas et al, 2008).…”

Adolescents' perceptions of the words “health” and “happy”

“…For example adolescents behave in ways that are injurious to their health despite possessing relatively high levels of knowledge about the risks. Indeed young people tend not to perceive risks as personally or immediately relevant (Kennedy, Nolen, Applewhite, Waiters, and Vanderhoff, 2007;Kershaw et al, 2003;O'Sullivan et al, 2006;Kennedy, Nolen, Applewhite, Pan, Shamblen, and Vanderhoff, 2007).…”