Condom Use Behavior: An Assessment of United States College Students' Health Education Needs

Descriptive studies regarding sexual activity and condom use among college persons have found that college students are particularly permissive and do not use condoms regularly. Within a social cognitive theory (SCT) framework, the present study determined the condom use related health education needs of college students. Data regarding condom use frequency, appropriateness of condom use, social support for condom use, perceived barriers regarding condom use, perceived social norm regarding the use of condoms, perceived outcomes of using a condom, and condom use self-efficacy were collected from 569 students enrolled in health, physical education, and recreation classes at a large mid-Western United States university. Results indicated a serious lack of consistent and appropriate use of condoms. Strengths and weaknesses of SCT scales were described. Women could improve on their physical and emotional outcome expectations of using a condom. Areas for men that could be improved include perceived physical and emotional outcomes of condom use, self-efficacy related to partner disapproval and embarrassment, and self-efficacy related to intoxicants. Several recommendations for college health education programs were made.

Entangled epidemics: cocaine use and HIV disease

Over the past decade, two epidemics have had a severe impact on public health in this country. These health problems involve cocaine abuse and AIDS (or HIV disease). The processes of these two conditions are clearly not independent of each other and may be quite complex. Understanding of this relationship has been hampered by a myriad of social, biological and behavioral variables that are entangled with the basic cocaine-HIV association. This article presents a paradigm for discussion of the interaction between cocaine exposure and HIV disease based on three mechanisms: the relationship between cocaine exposure and increased opportunity for HIV exposure, the direct role that cocaine plays in altering susceptibility to HIV infection, and the influence that cocaine use has on the progression of HIV disease. The goal of this structured approach is to enhance conceptual understanding of the cocaine-HIV relationship while recognizing the complexity of the issue and the limitations of current research efforts. This model will serve as a framework for the discussion of implications for future research, clinical practice, and public policy.