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Consistent Condom Use in South African Youth’s Most Recent Sexual Relationships

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Abstract

Sexually active South African youth are at high risk for HIV infection but a low prevalence of condom use has been reported in this population. We examined correlates of consistent condom use with most recent sex partners among a nationally representative sample of youth 15–24 years old who reported having had sex in the previous 12 months (N = 6,649). Among men and women, having talked to a partner about using condoms was the most significant predictor of consistent condom use. However, youth who reported being in their most recent relationship for more than 1 year and who reported having had sex one or more times in the last month were more likely to report inconsistent condom use. HIV interventions should empower youth to talk about using condoms with their partners, encourage periodic testing for HIV, and reinforce condom use according to HIV status in long-term relationships.

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Acknowledgments

Survey data were collected as part of an on-going evaluation of the loveLife programme and the study was commissioned by the Kaiser Family Foundation. The design of the study, collection of data and reporting of results were overseen by an independent scientific committee located at the University of California, San Francisco.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Health & HIV Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, University of Witwatersrand, Soweto P. O. Bertsham, Johannesburg, 2013, South Africa

    Witness Moyo, Catherine MacPhail & Helen Rees

  2. Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Brooke A. Levandowski & Audrey Pettifor

Authors
  1. Witness Moyo
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  2. Brooke A. Levandowski
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  3. Catherine MacPhail
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  4. Helen Rees
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  5. Audrey Pettifor
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Correspondence to Audrey Pettifor.

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Moyo, W., Levandowski, B.A., MacPhail, C. et al. Consistent Condom Use in South African Youth’s Most Recent Sexual Relationships. AIDS Behav 12, 431–440 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9343-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-007-9343-3

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