Condom use is currently the cornerstone of HIV/STD prevention. Researchers have argued that some women are unable to negotiate condom use due to gender-based power differentials, and that some women do not want to ask their partners to use condoms because of their partners’ likely response (e.g., violence, accusations of infidelity, termination of the relationship). Thus, expectations about how partners will respond to suggestions that they use condoms may affect condom use behavior. In this presentation, we will examine outcome expectations for suggesting condom use among a sample of men and women at high risk of HIV/STDs. Data come from baseline interviews conducted with both members of over 200 heterosexual couples who were eligible to participate in a project (the PARTNERS Project) designed to develop, implement, and evaluate a couple-based intervention to reduce unprotected intercourse among young (aged 18-25) women and their heterosexual partners. As part of the interview, participants were asked to indicate the likelihood that their partners would have specific responses to requests to use condoms (e.g., that their partner would get mad, would think he/she was having sex with another person, would refuse to have sex) on a scale from “not at all likely” to “extremely likely.” In this presentation, we will 1) describe men’s and women’s outcome expectations for suggesting condom use, 2) examine whether outcome expectations differ by relationship characteristics (e.g., length of relationship), and 3) explore the association between prior safer sex behaviors and outcome expectations. Implications of findings will also be discussed.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to: 1. list the outcome expectations for suggesting condom use most frequently reported by a sample of men and women at risk of HIV/STDs 2. discuss the association between outcome expectations for suggesting condom use and relationship characteristics 3. discuss the association between outcome expectations for condom use and condom use behavior
Keywords: Partner Involvement, Sexual Risk Behavior
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.