Changes in women's condom use over the first year of college. J Sex Res 2013;50(2):128-38
Date
01/13/2012Pubmed ID
22235757Pubmed Central ID
PMC3865869DOI
10.1080/00224499.2011.642024Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84873310471 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 28 CitationsAbstract
Most college students are sexually active, engage in serially monogamous relationships, and use condoms inconsistently. Little is known about how condom use changes during college, and even less about variables predicting changes in use. Latent growth modeling (LGM) was used to examine changes in condom use during the first year of college among 279 women (mean age = 18.0; 74% White), who provided monthly reports on condom use frequency. At study entry, participants also reported on theoretically suggested risk and protective factors. Predictors of changes in use were examined after controlling for use of alternative contraception and partner type. LGM showed that women decreased their condom use during the first year of college. Levels of condom use were initially lower among women with strong alcohol-sexual risk expectancies, women with more previous sexual partners, women who did not smoke marijuana, and African American women. Decreases in condom use were greater among women with lower grade point averages, women from lower socioeconomic status families, and women who engaged in binge drinking. Reductions in condom use may place women at greater risk of unplanned pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Identification of factors associated with decreases in condom use will enable targeted educational and intervention efforts.
Author List
Walsh JL, Fielder RL, Carey KB, Carey MPAuthor
Jennifer L. Walsh PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Condoms
Female
Humans
Safe Sex
Students
Universities
Young Adult
