Condom use was assessed separately for main partners (such as a spouse, partner, or steady girlfriend/boyfriend) and non-main partners (such as casual or one-time partners and paying partners). Intervention messages used in the ACDP project also targeted condom use with main and non-main partners separately. This was done because research has shown that people think and act differently when it comes to using condoms with main versus non-main partners.

Mean stage-of-change scores for condom use
with main and nonmain partners over time: CDC AIDS
Community Demonstration Projects, 1991-1994

Intervention Data points	Intervention Regression
Comparison Data points	Comparison Regression

Condom Use with a Main Partner

The intervention targeted condom use with main partners in all 10 intervention communities. Before the intervention, most respondents in both the intervention and comparison communities were in the Precontemplation stage. At the community level, there was a significantly greater increase in stage-of-change scores in the intervention communities compared with those in the comparison communities. This is shown in the graph. Looked at another way, the percentage of individuals in the intervention communities who intended to use condoms with their main partner increased from 30% to 44%.

Respondents in the intervention communities who reported recent exposure to the intervention had, on average, higher stage-of-change scores for condom use with a main partner than those who did not receive ACDP intervention materials.

Condom Use with Non-Main Partners

The intervention focused on condom use with non-main partners in 8 of the 10 communities. Stage-of-change scores show that most respondents were in the preparation stage or an earlier stage prior to the intervention start date. Over time, the mean stage-of-change scores increased significantly in the intervention communities relative to the comparison communities. The percentage of intervention community respondents who always used condoms with their non-main partners increased from 25% to 33%.

At the individual level, recent exposure to the intervention was also significantly associated with higher stage-of-change scores for condom use with non-main partners.