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Condom carrying is not associated with condom use and lower prevalence
of sexually transmitted diseases among minority adolescent females.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases 2001;28(8):444-447.
DiClemente RJ, Wingood GM., Crosby R, Sionean C, Cobb BK, Harrington
K, Davies SL, Hook EW, Oh MK.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Most of the studies associated with condom carrying and use have
been conducted with adults. Because minority teenage females are particularly
at risk for STD/HIV infection, further investigations specifically focusing
on this population are warranted. GOAL: To determine whether observed condom
carrying among adolescent females was associated with multiple measures of
self-reported condom use, self-reported history of sexually transmitted diseases,
and prevalence of biologically confirmed sexually transmitted diseases. METHODS:
For this study, 522 sexually active African American adolescent females were
recruited from low-income neighborhoods in Birmingham, Alabama. Measures
of self-reported condom use, STD history, and condom carrying were collected.
Adolescents were also tested for three prevalent sexually transmitted diseases.
RESULTS: At the time of the assessment, 8% of the adolescents were observed
to have a condom with them. Condom carrying was not found to be significantly
associated with condom use and prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases.
CONCLUSION: Condom carrying may not be an important outcome of sexually transmitted
disease/HIV prevention programs designed to reduce HIV/sexually transmitted
disease risk among adolescent females.