FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH HISPANIC WOMENS HIV-RELATED COMMUNICATION ANDCONDOM USE WITH MALE PARTNERS

To determine factors influencing Hispanic women's HIV-related communic ation and condom use with their primary male partner, 189 Dominican, P uerto Rican, and Mexican women were interviewed regarding sexual behav iour and condom use, relationship characteristics, perceived risk for HIV, and HIV-related communication with the primary male partner. Leve l of HIV-related communication with the primary male painter was assoc iated with the woman's perceived risk for HIV and her rating of the op enness with which she could communicate with her primary partner. Mexi can women were less likely than Puerto Rican or Dominican women and wo men with multiple partners were less likely than those with one partne r to communicate about HIV-related issues with their primary partner. Women reporting more condom use with their primary partner were younge r, had discussed HIV-related issues more with the primary partner, and were less likely to expect negative reactions to requests for condom use than those reporting less condom use. These results suggest that p revention programmes that increase both general and HIV-specific commu nication between members of a couple may facilitate safer sex practice s by the couple. Prevention programmes that encourage women to insist on condom use should consider the woman's expectations about her partn er's reaction as a potential barrier to the initiation of safer sex pr actices.