Sex Partner Type, Drug Use and Condom Use Self-Efficacy Among African Americans from Disadvantaged Neighborhoods: Are Associations with Consistent Condom Use Moderated by Gender?

A Brief Report on the Association between Dissociation During Sex and Condom Use Self-Efficacy Among Women Residing in Domestic Violence Shelters

OBJECTIVE

Female survivors of intimate partner violence have greater risk for contracting HIV/STI's and experiencing dissociation. However, no studies have examined the association between dissociation and condom use self-efficacy in this population. This study explored whether dissociation during sex was negatively associated with condom use self-efficacy.

METHODS

Thirty-five women (88% African American) who were residing in domestic violence shelters in the United States completed questionnaires.

RESULTS

There was a negative correlation between dissociative experiences during sex and condom use self-efficacy, r = -.62, n=35, p< .01.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that dissociation during sex interferes with abused women's condom use self-efficacy.

Testing gene by community disadvantage moderation of sexual health outcomes among urban women

We examined whether the interplay between community disadvantage and a conduct disorder polygenic risk score (CD PRS) was associated with sexual health outcomes among urban women. Participants (N = 511; 75.5% African American) were originally recruited to participate in a school-based intervention and were followed into adulthood. Community disadvantage was calculated using census data when participants were in first grade. At age 20, blood or saliva samples were collected and participants reported on their condom use, sexual partners, and sexually transmitted infections. A CD PRS was created based on a genome-wide association study conducted by Dick et al. [2010]. Higher levels of community disadvantage was associated with greater sexually transmitted infections among women with a higher CD PRS. Implications of the study findings are discussed.

Factors Associated with Sexual Risks and Risk of STIs, HIV and Other Blood-Borne Viruses Among Women Using Heroin and Other Drugs: A Systematic Literature Review

This systematic literature review identified factors associated with sexual risks related to sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV and other blood-borne viruses (BBV) among women using heroin and other drugs. The search strategy included five databases (PubMed, EMBASE, PsycNET, Web of Science, Scopus), and PsycEXTRA for grey literature. Out of the 12,135 publications screened, 30 peer-reviewed articles were included. Most publications were cross-sectional (n = 25), quantitative (n = 23) and included 11,305 women. Factors identified were: (1) socio-demographics; (2) gender roles and violence against women; (3) substance use; (4) transactional sex; (5) partner characteristics, partner's drug use, and context of sex; (6) preferences, negotiation and availability of condoms; (7) HIV status and STIs; (8) number of sexual partners; (9) love and trust; (10) reproductive health and motherhood; and (11) risk awareness and perception of control. Overall, this review highlights important implications for future research and practice, and provides evidence for developing STI/BBV preventive strategies.

Hybrid Masculinity and Young Men's Circumscribed Engagement in Contraceptive Management

This research explores how gender shapes contraceptive management through in-depth interviews with 40 men and women of color ages 15 to 24, a life stage when the risk of unintended pregnancy is high in the United States. Although past research focuses on men's contraception-avoidant behaviors, little sociological work has explored ways men engage in contraception outside of condoms, such as contraceptive pills. Research often highlights how women manage these methods alone. Our research identifies how young men of color do help manage these methods through their engagement in contraceptive decision-making and use. Men accomplish this without limiting their partners' ability to prevent pregnancy. This is despite structural barriers such as poverty and gang-related violence that disproportionately affect low-income young men of color and often shape their reproductive goals. However, men's engagement is still circumscribed so that women take on a disproportionate burden of pregnancy prevention, reifying gender boundaries. We identify this as a form of hybrid masculinity, because men's behaviors are seemingly egalitarian but also sustain women's individualized risk of unintended pregnancy. This research points to the complexity of how race, class, and gender intersect to create an engaged but limited place for men in contraceptive management among marginalized youth.

[Condom use, number of partners and sexual debut in young people in penile-vaginal intercourse, oral sex and anal sex]

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to analyse condom use, number of sexual partners and age of sexual debut in young people in penile-vaginal intercourse, oral sex and anal sex, to establish a comparison between men and women (first part of the study), and to analyse the differences according to sexual behavior conducted in the three variables (second part of the study).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

Ex post facto descriptive study by online survey. A total of 886 young heterosexual people (485 women and 401 men) participated for the first part of the study. For the second part of the study, youngsters who had carried out the three sexual behaviors under study were selected. The premises of two Spanish universities were used to distribute the survey by internet.

RESULTS

Women reported a more frequent use condom during oral sex, and men reported to have more sexual partners with whom they perform penile-vaginal intercourse (4.57 vs. 3.80) and oral sex (3.34 vs. 2.65). The average onset age for penile-vaginal intercourse and oral sex was close to 17 years and for anal sex close to 19 years. Frequency of condom use and number of sexual partners were higher in penile-vaginal intercourse and the age of sexual debut was higher in anal sex (men=19.20; women=19.38).

CONCLUSIONS

The results support the idea that young people use the condom more to prevent pregnancies than to prevent STD. Moreover, the sexual behaviors follow a pattern of progression in heterosexual young people (from penile-vaginal intercourse to anal sex).