Condom use and HIV risk behaviors among U.S. adults: data from a national survey.

ABSTRACT

PIP: The 1996 US National Household Survey on Drug Abuse obtained information on a comprehensive set of sex- and drug-related HIV risk behaviors. The sample was comprised of 9270 adults 18-59 years of age. A total of 21% of respondents (12.1% of married and 40.4% of unmarried adults) reported condom use in their most recent sexual encounter. Condoms were used by 19% of those whose last sexual intercourse occurred within a relationship compared with 62% of those whose last intercourse occurred outside of a relationship. Condom use in the context of a committed relationship was highest among respondents who were 18-25 years old (36.3%), Black (29.9%), low-income (24.2%), and from large metropolitan areas (21.2%) and among those with 2 or more sexual partners in the past year (35.3%). In contrast, condom use at last intercourse outside of an ongoing relationship was higher among males (65.3%), college graduates (66.2%), residents of the northeastern US (73.9%), those living in large metropolitan areas (68.9%), and those with two or more partners (65.5%). When the type of relationship was controlled, adults with HIV risk factors (homosexual sex, 6 or more partners, sex with HIV-infected persons, exchange of sex for drugs or money, use of illegal injection drugs in the past 3 years, crack cocaine use during the past year) were not significantly more likely to use condoms than those without these risk factors. Among individuals with one or more sex- or drug-related HIV risk factor, 22% used condoms during last intercourse within an ongoing relationship and 59.5% used condoms at last coitus in a casual relationship. Among adults with no such risk factors, these rates were 18.6% and 62.9%, respectively. Adoption of condom use by high-risk individuals must be increased, particularly with steady partners.