Condom use among low-income African American males attending an STD clinic

Objective: To evaluate condom-use attitudes and behaviors among low-income, primarily African American, male patients seeking care at an urban sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic. Methods: Via face-to-face interviews, 224 males completed a theory-based questionnaire regarding condom use. Results: The results show that although respondents had obvious signs and symptoms of infection and that 65% were "repeaters" at the clinic, 66% of the sample reporting a main partner and 33% of those with other types of sexual partners were not motivationally ready to use condoms consistently. Conclusion: Based on their STD clinic attendance, these men obviously perceive themselves at risk for STDs, but appear to cope with this risk by choosing to engage in secondary rather than primary preventive behaviors.