BELIEFS ABOUT CONDOMS AND ACCESSIBILITY OF CONDOM INTENTIONS IN HISPANIC AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN YOUTH

During the summer of 1989, 30 Hispanic (15 male, 15 female) and 34 African American (17 male, 17 female) Detroit youth participated in face-to-face interviews designed to identify condom beliefs that may influence condom use in young minority populations. Also of interest was the utility of the construct accessibility model (CAM) in explaining condom use behavior Results suggest several participants believed condoms protect against AIDS and several believed that condoms break. Condom intentions were accessible in more African American than Hispanic participants (Fisher's exact, p < .04, two tailed), and consistent with the CAM, condom use in the 12-month period preceding the interview was associated with accessibility of condom intentions (Fisher's exact, p < .0001, two tailed).