Predictors of mother-adolescent discussions about condoms: Implications for providers who serve youth

Objective. To examine predictors of mother-adolescent communication about c ondoms. Methods. Interviews were conducted with 907 mothers of adolescents aged 14 to 17 years in the Bronx, New York; Montgomery, Alabama; and San Juan, Puer to Rico, to determine whether mothers had talked with their adolescent abou t condoms. Results. By univariate analysis, mother-adolescent communication about cond oms was associated with greater knowledge about sexuality and acquired immu nodeficiency syndrome, perception of having enough information to discuss c ondoms, information from a health-related source, less conservative attitud es about adolescent sexuality, perception that the adolescent was at risk f or human immunodeficiency virus, greater ability and comfort in discussing condoms, stronger belief that condoms prevent human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and a more favorable endorsement of con doms. In multivariate analyses, mother-adolescent communication about condo ms was associated with a less conservative attitude about abstinence until marriage (odds ratio [OR]: 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54-0.74), greater skill in communicating about sex (OR: 1.13; 95% CI: 1.06-1.20), gre ater comfort in communicating about sex (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.01-1.69), a mo re favorable endorsement of condoms (OR: 1.85; 95% CI: 1.17-2.78), and the perception that the adolescent's friends were sexually active (OR: 3.53; 95 % CI: 1.97-7.16). Conclusion. Parents who communicate effectively about sexuality and safer s ex behaviors can influence their adolescents' risk-taking behavior. Health care providers, particularly physicians, can facilitate this communication by providing to parents information about the sexual behavior of adolescent s, the risks that adolescents encounter, condom use, condom effectiveness, and how to discuss condoms. They also can make referrals to programs that t each communication skills.