Assessing condom use practices - Implications for evaluating method and user effectiveness

Background: Consistent and correct condom use remains important to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention. Although many studies evaluate consistent condom use, few examine how condoms are used during intercourse, Goals: Assess how user practices affect exposure to risks of pregnancy and infection during condom use. Study Design: A cross-sectional survey on condom behaviors in the past month was conducted among 98 male students attending two Georgia universities. Results: Altogether, 35 of 270 total: condom uses (13.0%, 95% confidence interval, 7.4-18.5) resulted in potential exposure to sexually transmitted disease and/or HIV infection or pregnancy. Both consistent and inconsistent users were similarly likely to report potential exposures during condom use. Conclusion: These findings suggest condom problems occur among both consistent and inconsistent users. Future studies of condom effectiveness must distinguish whether condoms were used both consistently and correctly.