ABSTRACT
To understand how household context factors impacted self-reported changes in solo and sexual behaviors in U.S. adults during early stages of the COVID- 19 pandemic, we conducted an online, nationally representative, cross-sectional survey of U.S. adults (N = 1010; aged 18-94 years; 62% response rate) from April 10-20, 2020. We used weighted descriptive statistics with Wilcoxon rank sign tests to understand the population prevalence and significance of self-reported changes (five-point scale: much less to much more) in 10 solo and partnered sexual behaviors. Ordinal regression was used to assess the impact of household predictor variables-including number of children at home, number of adults in home, partnership status (unpartnered, partnered and not living together, partnered and living together) and employment status (not working, employed not as essential worker, employed as essential worker). All models were adjusted for gender, age, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and residence location (urban, suburban, rural).All solo and partnered sexual behaviors showed some amount of significant change-increased activity for some and decreased for others-for U.S. adults during the pandemic. Not living with a partner was broadly associated with decreased affectionate partnered sexual behaviors; unpartnered adults reported increased sexting. Individuals not employed reported increased oral sex and increased consumption of sexually explicit materials as compared to non-essential workers. Number of children at home and household size were not significantly linked to self-reported behavior change. Ongoing sexual health-focused research should continue to focus on understanding how adults manage opportunities and constraints to their sexual lives in the context of a still-going pandemic. While many aspects of social life look more "normal" (e.g., many people have returned to their in-person offices and children are largely back in school), new and more-infectious strains of COVID-19 have proven that the pandemic may still yet impact daily living. Lessons learned from COVID need to include sexual health planning both for any future strains of COVID, as well as for future public health emergencies.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Adult , United States/epidemiology , Child , Humans , Female , Male , Masturbation , Cross-Sectional Studies , COVID-19/epidemiology , Sexual Behavior , ProbabilityABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence to date about changes to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) during the initial wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To address this gap, our team organized a multicountry, cross-sectional online survey as part of a global consortium. METHODS: Consortium research teams conducted online surveys in 30 countries. Sampling methods included convenience, online panels, and population-representative. Primary outcomes included sexual behaviors, partner violence, and SRH service use, and we compared 3 months prior to and during policy measures to mitigate COVID-19. We conducted meta-analyses for primary outcomes and graded the certainty of the evidence. RESULTS: Among 4546 respondents with casual partners, condom use stayed the same for 3374 (74.4%), and 640 (14.1%) reported a decline. Fewer respondents reported physical or sexual partner violence during COVID-19 measures (1063 of 15â 144, 7.0%) compared to before COVID-19 measures (1469 of 15â 887, 9.3%). COVID-19 measures impeded access to condoms (933 of 10â 790, 8.7%), contraceptives (610 of 8175, 7.5%), and human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection (HIV/STI) testing (750 of 1965, 30.7%). Pooled estimates from meta-analysis indicate that during COVID-19 measures, 32.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 23.9%-42.1%) of people needing HIV/STI testing had hindered access, 4.4% (95% CI, 3.4%-5.4%) experienced partner violence, and 5.8% (95% CI, 5.4%-8.2%) decreased casual partner condom use (moderate certainty of evidence for each outcome). Meta-analysis findings were robust in sensitivity analyses that examined country income level, sample size, and sampling strategy. CONCLUSIONS: Open science methods are feasible to organize research studies as part of emergency responses. The initial COVID-19 wave impacted SRH behaviors and access to services across diverse global settings.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , HIV Infections , Sexual Health , Sexually Transmitted Diseases , Adult , Condoms , Cross-Sectional Studies , Humans , Reproductive Health , Sexual Behavior , Sexual Partners , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Spina bifida (SB) may differentially impact adults' participation in solo and partnered sexual behaviors, but little research investigates this topic. AIM: Describe solo and partnered sexual behaviors among an international sample of adult men and women with SB. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ever participated (no/yes) and recent participation (>1 year ago/within last year) in solo masturbation, cuddled with a partner, held hands with a partner, kissed a partner, touched a partner's genital, had genitals touched by a partner, gave a partner oral sex, received oral sex from a partner, vaginal sex, anal sex, and sex toy use. METHODS: Data were drawn from a larger cross-sectional, internet-based survey assessing the sexual behaviors of an international sample of men and women with SB. We used logistic regression to examine the impact of background (gender, age, independent living, and relationship status) and health (shunt status, ambulation, and genital sensation) factors on each outcome. RESULTS: The sample consisted of 345 respondents aged 18-73 years from 26 nations. Very few (<3%) had no lifetime experience with any solo or partnered behaviors; 25.0% reported participating in all behaviors at some point in their lives. The median number of past year sexual behaviors (of 16 total) was 7. Lifetime and recent participation were associated with demographic and health factors. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Despite impairment, adults with spina bifida do participate in solo and partnered sexual behaviors. Medical personnel who work with this population should include discussions about sexuality as part of routine care. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: Although this research measured solo and partnered sexual behavior in large international sample of adults with spina bifida, it is limited by its cross-sectional retrospective design and non-clinical convenience sample. CONCLUSION: Despite disability, many adults with SB participate in solo and partnered sexual behavior. Medical and psychosocial supports are needed to help adults in this population enjoy sexuality in a healthy and safe manner. Hensel DJ, Misseri R, Wiener JS, et al. Solo and Partnered Sexual Behavior Among an International Sample of Adults With Spina Bifida. J Sex Med 2022;19:1766-1777.
Subject(s)
Sexual Behavior , Spinal Dysraphism , Humans , Adult , Male , Female , Cross-Sectional Studies , Retrospective Studies , Sexual Behavior/psychology , Masturbation/psychology , Sexual Partners , Spinal Dysraphism/psychologyABSTRACT
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, most U.S. colleges closed their campuses-including residence halls-causing significant disruption to students' lives. Two waves of data were collected from undergraduate students enrolled at a large U.S. Midwestern university: Wave 1 was a confidential online survey of 4989 randomly sampled undergraduate students collected in January/February 2020; Wave 2 was collected in April/May 2020 following campus closure. Our research aimed to: (1) assess how the COVID-19 related campus closure affected college students' romantic/sexual relationships, (2) examine students' past month sexual behaviors prior to the pandemic in comparison with their sexual behaviors during campus closure, and (3) compare participants' pre-pandemic event-level sexual behaviors with those occurring during campus closure. Of 2137 participants who completed both waves (49.8% women, mean age = 20.9), 2.6% were living at home in Wave 1 compared to 71.0% at Wave 2. Of those in relationships, 14.5% experienced a breakup and 25.3% stayed in their relationship but returned home to different cities. There were no statistically significant differences in participants' prior month reports of solo masturbation or sending/receiving nude/sexy images between Waves 1 and 2; however, participation in oral, vaginal, and anal sex significantly decreased across waves. Examining participants' most recent sexual events, Wave 2 sex more often occurred with a cohabiting or relationship partner and was rated as more wanted, emotionally intimate, and orgasmic. Implications for sexual health professionals are discussed.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , SARS-CoV-2 , Sampling Studies , Sexual Behavior/psychology , Students/psychology , Universities , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Rural youth often begin developing polysubstance use and other risk behaviors during middle school. However, little polysubstance use research focuses on rural middle school youth. Our research uses Latent Class Analysis to understand existing patterns of rural middle school polysubstance use and risk and protective factors associated with polysubstance use. METHODS: We used survey data from a rural middle school pregnancy prevention program (N = 2,708). The survey included measures of demographics, lifetime substance use, trauma (adverse childhood experiences and bullying victimization) and aspects of youth development (parent communication on drugs and alcohol, parent connectedness and school connectedness). We used latent class analysis to produce participant polysubstance use profiles and multinomial regression to examine associations between polysubstance use, demographics, trauma and aspects of youth development. RESULTS: We categorized our participants into four latent classes. Our analysis classified 2.2% of participants as Regular Polysubstance users, 6.9% as Polysubstance experimenters, 19% as Vape + Alcohol experimenters and 71.9% as Non-Users. More adverse childhood experiences were associated with greater risk of polysubstance use and experimentation. Bullying was positively associated with greater risk of vape and alcohol experimentation. Higher reported parental and school connectedness were associated with lower risk of high frequency polysubstance use. Higher reported school connection was also associated with lower risk of polysubstance experimentation. CONCLUSION: Rural substance use prevention programs should begin during middle school, as polysubstance use development is common among rural middle schoolers. These programs should be trauma informed and focus on connectedness as a modifiable factor to reduce risk of polysubstance use development. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This article does not report results of a health care intervention on human participants.
Subject(s)
Risk-Taking , Substance-Related Disorders , Adolescent , Humans , Latent Class Analysis , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Rural Population , StudentsABSTRACT
Heterosexual African American youth face substantial disparities in sexual health consequences such as HIV and STI. Based on the social ecological framework, the current paper provides a comprehensive, narrative review of the past 14 years of literature examining HIV/STI risk, including risky sexual behavior, among heterosexual African American youth and a conceptual model of risk among this population. The review found that individual psychological and biological factors are insufficient to explain the sexual health disparities faced by this group; instead, structural disadvantage, interpersonal risk, and community dysfunction contribute to the disparity in HIV/STI outcomes directly and indirectly through individual psychological factors. The conceptual model presented suggests that for African American youth, (1) HIV/STI risk commonly begins at the structural level and trickles down to the community, social, and individual levels, (2) risk works in a positive feedback system such that downstream effects compound the influence of structural risks, and (3) contextual and individual risk factors must be considered within the advanced stage of the epidemic facing this population. Despite advanced HIV and STI epidemics among heterosexual African American youth, multisystemic interventions that target structural risk factors and their downstream effects are posited to reduce the disparity among this high-risk population.
Subject(s)
HIV Infections/epidemiology , Healthcare Disparities/standards , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology , Social Environment , Adolescent , Adult , Black or African American , Female , Heterosexuality , Humans , Male , United States , Young AdultABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Although withdrawal use is routinely measured as part of contraceptive surveillance in the United States, its assessment may be prone to underreporting and measurement errors. Additionally, at the population level, little is known about subjective experiences of withdrawal. AIM: To measure respondents' frequency of and reasons for engaging in extra-vaginal ejaculation in the past year, and to compare contraceptive withdrawal vs extra-vaginal/anal ejaculation during the most recent sexual event. METHODS: The 2018 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior is a U.S. nationally representative probability survey of adolescents and adults. This study was administered in February-March 2018 via GfK Research's KnowledgePanel. Respondents who reported consensual penile-vaginal intercourse in the past year were included in the analysis. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with finding extra-vaginal ejaculation sexy/arousing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Main outcomes were the frequency of and reasons for extra-vaginal ejaculation in the past year, as well as reported contraceptive withdrawal use and the location of ejaculation at the most recent penile-vaginal intercourse. RESULTS: In the past year, approximately 60% of respondents reported engaging in any extra-vaginal ejaculation; pregnancy prevention and sexual pleasure were given as common reasons. Those who were men, white, or aged 25-29 were more likely to find extra-vaginal ejaculation sexy or arousing; no gender differences were observed in their partner's perception of this act. Prevalence of selecting withdrawal on the contraceptive inventory was 12.2% (95% CI 10.6-14.0) at last sexual event, whereas extra-vaginal/anal ejaculation was reported by 20.8% (95% CI 18.7-23.0). This lack of concordance in differing measures was observed consistently across all age groups, and approximately 12% to 14% of individuals reported an ejaculation location that did not correspond to their withdrawal use. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The results of this study have implications for how healthcare providers discuss withdrawal with their patients and counsel them on using extra-vaginal ejaculation as part of their contraceptive use or part of their sexual repertoire. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: This is the first nationally representative study to directly compare contraceptive withdrawal to extra-vaginal ejaculation. Limited data were collected at event level regarding motivations for extra-vaginal ejaculation, pregnancy attitudes, perceptions of condoms and sexually transmitted infection prevention, or exposure to erotic media, thus limiting further assessment of relationships between various factors and extra-vaginal/anal ejaculation. CONCLUSION: We found that reporting of withdrawal as a contraceptive method vs extra-vaginal/anal ejaculation was inconsistent and that extra-vaginal/anal ejaculation was commonly used for reasons other than pregnancy prevention; future research should use more precise measures of "withdrawal." Fu TC, Hensel DJ, Beckmeyer JJ, et al. Considerations in the Measurement and Reporting of Withdrawal: Findings from the 2018 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior. J Sex Med 2019;16:1170-1177.
Subject(s)
Contraception Behavior/statistics & numerical data , Contraception/statistics & numerical data , Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data , Sexual Partners , Adolescent , Adult , Condoms/statistics & numerical data , Contraception/methods , Ejaculation/physiology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pregnancy , Prevalence , Sex Factors , Sexual Health , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/prevention & control , Surveys and Questionnaires , United States , Young AdultABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Although much research has examined correlates of pain during sex, far less research has examined why women have sex despite having pain and why they avoid telling their partner. AIM: The purpose of our study was to examine women's reports of painful sex, including location of pain, whether they told their partner, factors associated with not disclosing their pain, and their reasons for not disclosing. METHODS: We used data from the 2018 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, a probability-based online survey of 2,007 individuals ages 14 to 49 years. We limited our sample to adult women who reported a sexual experience that was painful in the past year (n = 382; 23.2%). The primary outcome in quantitative analyses was whether women told their partner they experienced pain during sex. Associations with social identities and sexual health were explored via logistic regression. Those who did not tell their partner about painful sex were asked why; their accounts were coded and analyzed qualitatively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Women were asked, "To what extent was this sexual experience physically painful for you?" Those who reported any pain were asked, "Did you tell your partner that you were in pain during sex?" and, if applicable, "Why didn't you tell your partner that you were in pain during sex?" RESULTS: Of those reporting pain during sex, most said it was "a little painful" (81.6%) and occurred at the vaginal entrance (31.5%), inside the vagina (34.4%), or at or around the cervix (17.4%). Overall, 51.0% (n = 193/382) told their partner about their pain. Adjusting for age and wantedness, women who reported little or no event-level sexual pleasure had nearly 3-fold greater odds of not telling a partner about painful sex (adjusted odds ratio = 3.24; 95% CI, 1.43-7.37). Normalizing painful sex, considering pain to be inconsequential, prioritizing the partner's enjoyment, and gendered interactional pressures were the predominant themes in women's narratives. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Providers should ask about painful sex, if the woman continues intercourse despite pain, and how she feels about this as a means of assessing any sexual and social pressures. STRENGTHS & LIMITATIONS: Strengths include the use of social theory in nationally representative survey research to examine how contextual factors influence sexual health, but experiences were largely limited to heterosexual interactions. CONCLUSION: Many women do not discuss painful sex with their partners, lack of pleasure is significantly more likely among this group, and gender norms and cultural scripts are critical to understanding why. Carter A, Ford JV, Luetke M, et al. "Fulfilling His Needs, Not Mine": Reasons for Not Talking About Painful Sex and Associations with Lack of Pleasure in a Nationally Representative Sample of Women in the United States. J Sex Med 2019; 16:1953-1965.
Subject(s)
Dyspareunia/psychology , Pleasure , Sexual Behavior/psychology , Sexual Partners/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Heterosexuality/psychology , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Middle Aged , Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires , United States , Young AdultSubject(s)
Sexual Health , Spinal Dysraphism , Humans , Patient-Centered Care , Spinal Dysraphism/complicationsABSTRACT
Peer victimization is associated with alcohol use among adolescents. However, few studies have examined the mediating role of depression and anxiety, or differences by race. The current study examined the prospective relationship of peer victimization, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and alcohol use across two timeframes: 9th to 11th grade and 10th to 12th grade among African American and White youth. Two thousand two hundred and two high school youth (57.6% female) who identified as either African American (n = 342, 15.2%) or White (n = 1860, 82.6%) provided data on study variables. Path analysis among the overall sample indicated that anxiety symptoms was a significant mediator for both timeframes, with depressive symptoms mediating the pathway during the 10th to 12th grade timeframe. The findings were most consistent among White youth, with no significant indirect effects observed for African American youth. Thus, addressing depressive and anxiety symptoms may be effective targets to decrease alcohol use risk as a result of peer victimization among White youth. However, further research is needed to better understand risk models for peer victimization exposure on substance use outcomes among racial/ethnic minority youth.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Alcohol Drinking/psychology , Anxiety/psychology , Bullying/psychology , Crime Victims/psychology , Depression/psychology , Peer Group , Adolescent , Anxiety/complications , Depression/complications , Ethnicity , Female , Humans , Male , Minority Groups , Prospective Studies , Psychology, Adolescent , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Middle school youth (N = 1472) in Central Indiana completed a survey about parent-adolescent sexual communication. Being older, female, mixed race, ever had sex, ever arrested, and higher HIV knowledge were associated with more frequent sexual communication.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior , Communication , Parent-Child Relations , Sexual Behavior , Adolescent , Adolescent Behavior/ethnology , Adolescent Behavior/psychology , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Indiana , Linear Models , Male , Parent-Child Relations/ethnology , Sexual Behavior/ethnology , Sexual Behavior/psychology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Previous research has suggested that sexually aggressive behavior and sexual HIV risk behavior are associated. Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a well-established risk factor for both types of problematic sexual behavior. Negative affect (i.e., anxiety, depression, and anger) is a less well-studied risk factor, but it has been theorized to relate to both sexual aggression and HIV risk behavior. Thus, this study sought to (1) confirm the relationship between sexual aggression and HIV risk behavior, (2) establish CSA and negative affect as shared risk factors for sexual aggression and HIV risk behavior, and (3) evaluate whether negative affect mediates the relationship between CSA and sexual aggression and between CSA and HIV sexual risk in a sample of heterosexual men. We recruited 18- to 30-year-old heterosexual men (N = 377) from urban sexually transmitted infection clinics. Men completed measures of sexual HIV risk history (number of partners and condom use), sexual aggression history, CSA history, and trait negative affect (anger, anxiety, and depression). Structural equation modeling was used to examine hypothesized direct and indirect relationships. In the final SEM model, sexual aggression history and sexual HIV risk behavior were correlated. CSA was associated with both types of problematic sexual behavior. Anxiety significantly mediated the relationship between CSA and sexual aggression and between CSA and sexual HIV risk behavior (χ 2[1300] = 2121.79, p < .001; CFI = 0.905; RMSEA [90% CI] = .044 [.041-.047]). Sexual aggression appears to be part of a constellation of sexual risk behaviors; thus, it may be possible to develop prevention programs that target both sexual HIV risk and sexual aggression. CSA is a shared risk factor for sexual aggression and HIV risk behavior through the pathway of anxiety. Thus, anxiety might be one promising target for intervention.
Subject(s)
Aggression/psychology , Child Abuse, Sexual/psychology , HIV Infections/prevention & control , Sexual Behavior/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , HIV Infections/psychology , Heterosexuality , Humans , Male , Risk Factors , Risk-Taking , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
Religion and spirituality are known influences on medical providers' care of patients, but no studies have assessed resident beliefs related to patient perception of clinical care. The main objective of our study was to assess resident religious affiliation, religiosity, and spirituality in relation to self-efficacy and communication with patients during adolescent clinic visits. We found that religious affiliation and religiosity appear to affect patient perception of communication with residents during adolescent visits; spirituality had little noted effect. Further research is warranted, especially regarding resident and patient gender correlations and differences in religious affiliation effects on patient perception of care.
Subject(s)
Communication , Pediatrics , Religion , Self Efficacy , Spirituality , Adolescent , Adolescent Behavior , Adult , Female , Humans , Internship and Residency , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Physicians , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
Ethnic identity is an important buffer against drug use among minority youth. However, limited work has examined pathways through which ethnic identity mitigates risk. School-aged youth (N = 34,708; 52 % female) of diverse backgrounds (i.e., African American (n = 5333), Asian (n = 392), Hispanic (n = 662), Multiracial (n = 2129), Native American (n = 474), and White (n = 25718) in grades 4-12 provided data on ethnic identity, drug attitudes, and drug use. After controlling for gender and grade, higher ethnic identity was associated with lower past month drug use for African American, Hispanic, and Multiracial youth. Conversely, high ethnic identity was associated with increased risk for White youth. An indirect pathway between ethnic identity, drug attitudes, and drug use was also found for African American, Hispanic, and Asian youth. Among White youth the path model was also significant, but in the opposite direction. These findings confirm the importance of ethnic identity for most minority youth. Further research is needed to better understand the association between ethnic identity and drug use for Multiracial and Hispanic youth, best ways to facilitate healthy ethnic identity development for minority youth, and how to moderate the risk of identity development for White youth.
Subject(s)
Substance-Related Disorders/ethnology , Adolescent , Attitude , Ethnicity , Female , Humans , Male , Minority Groups , Racial Groups , SchoolsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Sex during bleeding is a risk factor for sexually transmitted infection (STI) and other bloodborne viruses, including HIV. We examined daily predictors of adolescent women's male condom use during bleeding-associated vaginal sex. METHODS: Adolescent females (N=387; 14-17â years) were recruited from primary care clinics for a longitudinal cohort study of STIs and sexual behaviour. Data were daily partner-specific sexual diaries; generalised estimating equation logistic regression assessed the likelihood of condom use during bleeding-associated vaginal sex. RESULTS: Less than 30% of bleeding-associated vaginal sex events were condom protected. Condom use during these events was less likely with younger age, higher partner support, higher partner negativity or past week bleeding-associated sex with a given partner; condom use was more likely with high individual mood and past week condom use during bleeding-associated vaginal sex with a given partner. CONCLUSIONS: Low condom rates during bleeding-associated vaginal sex can increase STI and bloodborne virus risk. Providers should consider integrating partner-specific and behavioural factors when they deliver sexual health messages to young women.
Subject(s)
Coitus , Condoms/statistics & numerical data , Menstruation , Safe Sex/statistics & numerical data , Sexual Behavior/statistics & numerical data , Sexual Partners/psychology , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/prevention & control , Adolescent , Female , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Indiana/epidemiology , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Risk Factors , Safe Sex/psychology , Sex Education/standards , Sexual Behavior/psychology , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/blood , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/epidemiology , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/transmissionABSTRACT
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To assess condom use as a function of number of coital events in newly formed sexual relationships. METHODS: Participants who reported at least one new partner during the 12-week study interval (n = 115; ages 18-29 years; 48% women; 90% African American) completed weekly sexually transmitted infections testing and 3 times daily electronic diary collection assessing individual and partner-specific affect, daily activities, sexual behavior, and condom use. We analyzed event-level condom use percentage and participant-level behavior response effects. generalized additive mixed models were used to estimate condom use probability accounting for within-partner and within-participant correlations via random effects. RESULTS: The average condom use probability at the first coital event in new relationships was 55% for men and 36% for women. Analyses showed that smooth shapes of estimated condom use probabilities were similar for both sexes and were fitted using generalized additive mixed models. Relatively higher condom use percentage was followed by a sharp decline during the first 9 coital events decreasing to 16% for men and 8% for women. More rapid decline in condom use among women was highly associated with higher levels of relationship and sexual satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The likelihood of condom use declines sharply for both men and women after the early accrual experience with a partner. Relationship and sexual satisfaction also influence declines in condom use, especially among women.
Subject(s)
Coitus , Condoms/statistics & numerical data , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/prevention & control , Adolescent , Adult , Black or African American/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Male , Safe Sex , Sexual Behavior , Sexual Partners , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Adolescent women are disproportionately impacted by the adverse outcomes associated with sexual activity, including sexually transmitted infections (STI). Condoms as a means of prevention relies on use that is free of usage failure, including breakage and/or slippage. This study examined the daily prevalence of and predictors of condom breakage and/or slippage during vaginal sex and during anal sex among adolescent women. METHODS: Adolescent women (N = 387; 14 to 17 years) were recruited from primary care clinics for a longitudinal cohort study of STIs and sexual behavior. Data were daily partner-specific sexual diaries. Random intercept mixed-effects logistic regression was used to estimate the fixed effect of each predictor on condom breakage/slippage during vaginal or during anal sex (Stata, 13.0), adjusting model coefficients for the correlation between repeated within-participant diary entries. RESULTS: Condom slippage and/or breakage varied across sexual behaviors and was associated with individual-specific (eg, age and sexual interest) and partner-specific factors (eg, negativity). Recent behavioral factors (eg, experiencing slippage and/or breakage in the past week) were the strongest predictors of current condom slippage and/or breakage during vaginal or anal sex. CONCLUSIONS: Factors associated with young women's condom breakage/slippage during vaginal or during anal sex should be integrated as part of STI prevention efforts and should be assessed as part of ongoing routine clinical care.
Subject(s)
Condoms/adverse effects , Equipment Failure/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Condoms/statistics & numerical data , Female , Humans , Logistic Models , Longitudinal Studies , Medical Records , Sexual Behavior , Sexual Partners , Sexually Transmitted Diseases/prevention & control , VaginaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The study objective was to identify commonalities amongst family medicine physicians who endorse annual adolescent visits. METHODS: A nationally weighted representative on-line survey was used to explore pediatrician (N = 204) and family medicine physicians (N = 221) beliefs and behaviors surrounding adolescent wellness. Our primary outcome was endorsement that adolescents should receive annual preventive care visits. RESULTS: Pediatricians were significantly more likely (p < .01) to endorse annual well visits. Among family medicine physicians, bivariate comparisons were conducted between those who endorsed an annual visit (N = 164) compared to those who did not (N = 57) with significant predictors combined into two multivariate logistic regression models. Model 1 controlled for: patient race, proportion of 13-17 year olds in provider's practice, discussion beliefs scale and discussion behaviors with parents scale. Model 2 controlled for the same first three variables as well as discussion behaviors with adolescents scale. Model 1 showed for each discussion beliefs scale topic selected, family medicine physicians had 1.14 increased odds of endorsing annual visits (p < .001) and had 1.11 greater odds of endorsing annual visits with each one-point increase in discussion behaviors with parents scale (p = .51). Model 2 showed for each discussion beliefs scale topic selected, family medicine physicians had 1.15 increased odds of also endorsing the importance of annual visits (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Family medicine physicians that endorse annual visits are significantly more likely to affirm they hold strong beliefs about topics that should be discussed during the annual exam. They also act on these beliefs by talking to parents of teens about these topics. This group appears to focus on quality of care in thought and deed.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Medicine , Attitude of Health Personnel , Pediatrics , Physicians, Family , Preventive Medicine , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Odds Ratio , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Quality of Health CareABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: The diversity in self-identified lesbian and bisexual women's sexual interactions necessitates better understanding of how and when they integrate personal lubricant into different experiences. However, little is known about lesbian and bisexual women's lifetime lubricant use, particularly at the population level. AIMS: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and characteristics of lubricant use among adult lesbian and bisexual women in the United States. METHODS: Data were drawn from a subset of lesbian and bisexual participants who participated in the 2012 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, an online questionnaire administered to a nationally representative probability sample of U.S. adults ages 18 and older. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: We examined socio-demographic characteristics, recent and lifetime lubricant use, lubricant use in associated with specific sexual behaviors and condom use, frequency of use, motivations for use, as well as perception of lubricant when used. RESULTS: A majority of lesbian- (60.1%) and bisexual-identified (77.1%) women reported ever using lubricant; 25.7% of lesbian women and 32.7% of bisexual women used it in the last 30 days. Across most age groups, lubricant was commonly used during partnered sexual play, partnered sexual intercourse, or when a vibrator/dildo was used. Lesbian and bisexual women reported using lubricants to increase arousal/sexual pleasure/desire, to make sex more fun, or to increase physical comfort during sex. CONCLUSIONS: Lubricant use is identified as a part of lesbian and bisexual women's sexual experience across the life span, as a part of both solo and partnered experiences. As part of evolving sexual health assessments, clinicians and health educators may find value in integrating lubricant-focused conversation with their lesbian and bisexual patients and clients, particularly.