ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE, AND BEHAVIOR REGARDING CONDOM USE IN URBAN BLACK-ADOLESCENT MALES

This study was conducted to determine male adolescent behavior, attitu des, and knowledge concerning the use of condoms. Subjects were 241 se xually active black adolescent males attending an inner-city adolescen t medicine clinic who were surveyed using a structured interview techn ique. Factors associated with condom use included higher grade level, greater-than-or-equal-to 2 sexual partners in the past six months, com munication about contraception with sexual partner(s), desire for sexu ally transmitted disease (STD) prevention when contracepting, and pare ntal suggestion to use condoms. Variables not associated with condom u se included older age, minimal level of knowledge about condom use, hi story of having impregnated a partner or of having contracted an STD, desire for pregnancy prevention, suggestion by friends to use condoms, or partner dissatisfaction with condoms. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the following variables in combination were able to correctly classify respondents as condom users or nonusers in 74% o f cases: higher knowledge score, reported communication about contrace ption with one's partner(s), greater-than-or-equal-to 2 partners in th e past six months, and higher socioeconomic status. These findings sug gest that, for the study population, interventions directed toward imp roving knowledge about condoms, school achievement, and communication with parents and partners may be effective in increasing condom use.