Condom use relative to knowledge of sexually transmitted disease prevention, method of birth control, and past or present infection
Fleisher, J.M.; Senie, R.T.; Minkoff, H.; Jaccard, J.
Journal of Community Health 19(6): 395-407
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0094-5145 PMID: 7844245 DOI: 10.1007/bf02260322Document Number: 289519
A study was conducted among 1404 sexually active black and Hispanic women in three clinics offering family planning or gynecologic care in Brooklyn, New York, to assess levels of knowledge regarding the spread and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD), as well as the motivational and behavioral factors which influence condom use to prevent STD acquisition among inner-city women at high risk for STD infection. The study also explored the effect of past and/or current STD infection upon a woman's knowledge of the mechanism of STD acquisition and subsequent use of a condom to prevent STD infection. The study linked clinical findings regarding current infection with chlamydia or Trichomonas vaginalis. A past history of STD (37%) or current infection (29%) was recorded for 54% of the study population. Overall, only 60% of women who reported prior treatment for STD infection reported receiving any information on preventing reinfection during the course of treatment. Depending upon the specific STD, 6.8-42.9% of the women reporting prior treatment for STD infection did not know the disease for which they were being treated was transmitted sexually. Further, condom use was more frequently reported by women who been previously treated for a STD. Women who relied upon condoms for contraception were almost ten times more likely to also report condom use for STD prevention relative to women who did not use condoms for contraception. Condom use to prevent against STDs also was more than twice as frequently reported when a favorable attitude was perceived by a male sex partner.
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