Adolescent condom use and perceptions of risk for sexually transmitted diseases - A prospective study

Background: The authors' previous research has shown that in cross-sectional analysis, partner-specific perceptions of risk for gonorrhea and chlamydial and HIV infection correlated with partner-specific intentions to use condoms. Goal: The goal was to determine whether partner-specific measures of perception of risk for STDs (PRSTD) predict partner-specific condom use 6 months later among high-risk and low-risk youth. Study Design: Youths aged 14 to 19 years were recruited from an STD clinic (n = 236) and an HMO teen clinic (n = 306) and were interviewed at baseline and at 6 months about PRSTD, attitudes about condoms, self-efficacy, normative expectations, and condom use. Results: PRSTD with a main sex partner was an independent predictor of condom use with a main sex partner in the STD clinic cohort (odds ratio = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.1-6.2). There was no association between PRSTD with a casual sex partner and condom use in this cohort or between PRSTD for main or casual sex partners and condom use in the HMO teen clinic cohort. Conclusion: Interventions that target high-risk adolescents should focus on PRSTD with a main sex partner.