CONDOM USE AMONG ABORIGINAL PEOPLE IN ONTARIO, CANADA

A survey of 658 Aboriginal men and women living in 11 reserve communit ies in Ontario, Canada, was utilized to collect data on patterns of co ndom use. individuals who had sexual intercourse in the previous 12 mo nths were included in the analysis (n=400). Descriptive statistics and multiple logistic regression were used to analyse condom use in the p revious 12 months. Eight per cent always, 31% sometimes, and 61% never used condoms. Rates of condom use differed with the number of sex par tners in the last year, age, gender, having a steady sex partner, and marital status. Multiple logistic regression revealed that people most likely to use condoms were under the age of 30, male, did not have a long-term steady sex partner, had more than one sex partner, worried a bout pregnancy, were knowledgeable about HIV/AIDS, and were not embarr assed to obtain condoms. Condom users who were knowledgeable about HIV /AIDS and who knew someone with HIV/AIDS were more likely to always us e condoms. The most common reason for not using a condom was 'I was wi th my steady sex partner'. These results have implications for STD pre vention efforts and for future research of sexual and STD preventive b ehaviour among Aboriginal people.