Sexual behaviour and condom use in the general population of Spain, 1996

A national household survey of a representative sample of 9,984 individuals aged 15 years or over, carried out in 1996 using a combination efface-to-f ace interviews and self-completion questionnaires, was analyzed in order to describe the frequency of HIV sexual risk behaviours and condom use in Spa in. Of a total of 8,101 persons (81%) who completed the questionnaire, 37% reported no sexual partner during the previous 12 months, 57% reported one partner and 6% reported more than one partner. Three per cent reported enga ging in HIV sexual risk behaviour (i.e. more than one partner and failure t o use a condom systematically), a pattern of behaviour which showed indepen dent positive association with the male sex, an age of 20-59 years and bein g unmarried. Among those who had casual sexual partners during the precedin g 12 months, 38% had always used condoms. In the multivariate analysis, fai lure to use a condom systematically with casual partners was associated wit h a higher age and being married. Of those who had regular partners during the previous 12 months, 26% had always used condoms, a finding associated w ith a lower age, higher educational level, unmarried status and non-cohabit ation with the sexual partner. This survey has furnished some useful indica tors for prevention purposes. Periodic repetition of this survey would enab le possible changes in sexual risk behaviours to be detected.