Elsevier

Journal of Adolescent Health

Volume 47, Issue 3, September 2010, Pages 254-262
Journal of Adolescent Health

Original article
Condom Negotiation Strategies and Actual Condom Use Among Latino Youth

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2010.01.018Get rights and content

Abstract

Purpose

To examine which condom negotiation strategies are effective in obtaining or avoiding condom use among Latino youth.

Method

Interviews were conducted with 694 Latino youth, 61% female, aged 16–22. Participants reported on their condom negotiation strategies, perceptions of whether their sexual partner wanted to use condoms, and actual condom use. Three strategies to obtain condom use (risk information, direct verbal/nonverbal communication, insist) and four strategies to avoid condom use (emotional coercion, ignore condom use, dislike condoms, seduction) were examined. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression, and included youth (n = 574) who reported wanting to use or avoid condoms.

Results

Almost 60% of participants reported wanting to use condoms, and nearly all of these used some strategy to obtain condom use. Young men who wanted to use condoms were more likely to do so, compared with young women. Risk information and direct verbal/nonverbal communication were effective strategies to obtain condom use, even among youth who perceived their sexual partners as not wanting to use condoms. Ignoring condom use was an effective condom avoidance strategy, even when youth thought their partners wanted to use condoms. Unexpectedly, young men who expressed dislike of condoms had higher rates of condom use than young men not using this condom avoidance strategy.

Conclusions

This research identified condom negotiation strategies that are effective among Latino youth, even when they believe their partners do not want to use condoms. Health care providers could encourage Latino youth to use such condom negotiation strategies.

Section snippets

Participants

Youth were eligible if they were aged 16–22, had been sexually active with someone of the opposite sex within the last 6 months, and were of Mexican, Nicaraguan, or Salvadoran origin. These are the three largest Latino groups in the urban area in which the study was conducted. A total of 694 Latino youth aged 16–22 (M = 18.47, standard deviation (SD) = 1.65) participated in the research. Of these, 61% were female. They were of Mexican (55%) or Central American (45%) origin. Most youth (76%) had

Rates of condom-related behaviors and gender differences

Participants reported having sexual intercourse an average of 10 times in the last month (Table 2). Youth who did not have intercourse in the last month (3%) were excluded from subsequent analyses. Overall, youth reported using condoms 50% of the time. Thirty-seven percent of youth reported always using a condom in the last month, and 37% never used a condom. Young men used condoms significantly more often than young women (t [669] = 3.75, p < .001). In comparison to young women, young men

Discussion

Until now, little has been known about what condom negotiation strategies are used by Latino youth, nor has it been clear which strategies may be most effective. This study found that most Latino youth reported using some condom negotiation strategy. Direct verbal and nonverbal communication about condom use and risk information about the consequences of not using condoms were both effective strategies to obtain condom use, even when youth thought their sexual partners did not want to use

Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grant R01 AI49146 from the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases (to J.M.T.). We thank the participants in the Salud de Jovenes: Young Adult Health Research Project and the Northern California Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research, which provided access to members of Kaiser Permanente. We also thank project directors Angela Gallegos-Castillo and Mimi Wolff; research assistants Adrian Aguilera, Janette Alvarez, Pedro Arista, Vanessa Avila,

References (35)

  • J.M. Tschann et al.

    Relative power between sexual partners and condom use among adolescents

    J Adolesc Health

    (2002)
  • H. Weinstock et al.

    Sexually transmitted diseases among American youth: Incidence and prevalence estimates, 2000

    Perspect Sex Reprod Health

    (2004)
  • P.J. Hitchcock

    Screening and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases: An important strategy of reducing the risk of HIV transmission

    AIDS Patient Care STDs

    (1996)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted disease surveillance, 2006. Atlanta, GA: U.S....
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS surveillance report, 2006. Volume 18. Atlanta: U.S. Department of...
  • D.K. Eaton et al.

    Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, 2005

    J Sch Health

    (2006)
  • J.A. Kelly et al.

    Increased attention to human sexuality can improve HIV-AIDS prevention efforts: Key research issues and directions

    J Consult Clin Psychol

    (1995)
  • P. Sheeran et al.

    Psychosocial correlates of heterosexual condom use: A meta-analysis

    Psychol Bull

    (1999)
  • T. Perrino et al.

    Low-income African American women's attempts to convince their main partner to use condoms

    Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol

    (2006)
  • S.T. Bird et al.

    Getting your partner to use condoms: Interviews with men and women at risk of HIV/STDs

    J Sex Res

    (2001)
  • T. Edgar et al.

    Strategic sexual communication: Condom use resistance and response

    Health Commun

    (1992)
  • S.C. DeBro et al.

    Influencing a partner to use a condom: A college student perspective

    Psychol Women Q

    (1994)
  • A.G. Lam et al.

    What really works? An exploratory study of condom negotiation strategies

    AIDS Educ and Prev

    (2004)
  • S.M. Noar et al.

    Condom negotiation in heterosexually active men and women: Development and validation of a condom influence strategy questionnaire

    Psychol Health

    (2002)
  • J.B. Jemmott et al.

    HIV risk reduction behavioral interventions with heterosexual adolescents

    AIDS

    (2000)
  • C.M. Lyles et al.

    Best-evidence interventions: Findings from a systematic review of HIV behavioral interventions for US populations at high risk, 2000–2004

    Am J Public Health

    (2007)
  • S.J. Misovich et al.

    Close relationships and elevated HIV risk behavior: Evidence and possible underlying psychological processes

    Rev Gen Psychol

    (1997)
  • Cited by (0)

    View full text