Condom use by women recently diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection: effects of study methodology on the apparent influence of hormonal/surgical contraception
Wilson, S.R.; Brown, N.L.; Chin, V.; Levin, D.; Kao, Y-Min.; Hu, P.; Lavori, P.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 31(12): 740-747
2004
ISSN/ISBN: 0148-5717 PMID: 15608589 Document Number: 237775
Objective/Goal: The objective of this study was to investigate potential predictors of consistent condom use (CCU), including the influence of hormonal contraceplion/surgical sterilization (HC/SS). Study: Regression methods were used to predict CCU and other measures of CU among 214 sexually active, 18- to 45-year-old women previously diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection. Results: CCU was significantly associated with younger age, African American ethnicity, having casual partners, recent HIV testing, condom use self-efficacy, and concern about partner relationship. HC/SS was not significantly associated with the likelihood of CCU, before (HC/SS, 21.3%, non-HC/SS, 25.3%; odds ratio (OR), 0.798; P = 0.4914) or after (OR, 1.209; P = 0.5995) controlling for confounders (age, ethnicity, casual partners). Controlling for age and ethnicity eliminated initial significant or near-significant inverse associations between HC/SS and 3 alternative measures of interval condom use ("any use," "number of unprotected acts," "proportion condom-protected contacts") and substantially diminished the association between HC/SS and "condom use at last sex." Conclusions: Choice of condom use measure and control of confounding variables can substantially affect results when studying potential predictors of condom use such as HC/SS.