Partner-specific relationship characteristics and condom use among young people with sexually transmitted diseases

This study describes associations of partner-specific relationship characte ristics with consistent condom use among 297 young people (ages 13-24) with sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Relationship-specific variables were relationship quality, reasons for sex relationship duration duration of sex ual relationship, coital frequency, "established" versus "new" sexual partn er; cohabitation, children, sexual coercion, and drug or alcohol use associ ated with coitus. Relationship, characteristics associated with consistent condom use included lower relationship quality: lower emotional reasons for sex, lower coital frequency sex with a new partner noncohabitation, and no t having a child with the partner Controlling for sociodemographic variable s, factors exhibiting independent associations with consistent condom use w ere lower relationship quality, lower coital frequency, and not having a ch ild with the partner: While condom use with potentially high risk new partn ers is important, other types of relationships are also risky but associate d with lower likelihood of consistent condom use. Better understanding of c omplex relationship characteristics is necessary to improve STD interventio n programs.