RISKY SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR AND ALCOHOL-USE AMONG YOUNG-ADULTS - RESULTS FROM A NATIONAL SURVEY

Purpose. To examine the relationship between alcohol use and sexual ac tivity in a sample of young adults. Design. Data were collected as par t of a 1990 survey of a multistage area household probability sample. Setting. In-home interviews were conducted by experienced interviewers . Subjects. In total, 1006 persons from 18 to 30 years of age living i n the contiguous United States were contacted. Measures. Detailed info rmation was collected on alcohol use and sexual behavior. To minimize the reluctance of respondents to answer queries on sexual behavior, th ose questions were contained in a self-administered questionnaire. Res ults. At the population level, having had multiple sexual partners in the past year was more likely among men who consumed five or more drin ks per sitting: Condom use was less likely among respondents who had c onsumed five or more drinks on at least one occasion in the past year. In multivariate analyses, the amount of alcohol consumed at the new p artner event was not associated with condom use with a new partner. Wh en the effects of other demographic and psychosocial factors were remo ved, the number of drinks consumed during the heaviest drinking event was a significant predictor of engaging in sex for women but not for m en. Conclusion. lit young adults, alcohol use with sex does not necess arily lead directly to lapses in judgment about safe sexual practices. Alcohol is but one of a number of factors that play an important role in determining the riskiness of a particular sexual encounter.