COMBINED USE OF CONDOMS WITH OTHER CONTRACEPTIVE METHODS AMONG INNER-CITY BALTIMORE WOMEN

Data from a street survey conducted among 717 women aged 17-35 in two inner-city Baltimore communities in 1991-1992 indicate that 17% of the entire sample, 38% of women using the pill and 11% of users of methods other than the pill used a condom in addition to another method the last time they had intercourse. Although adolescents reported the highest rate of combined condom and pill use (22% of 17-19-year-olds), condom use was significantly associated with pill use among adult women (odds ratio of 1.57) but not among adolescents (odds ratio of 1.03). Condom use was negatively associated with use of methods such as the diaphragm, the IUD, the implant and the sponge (odds ratio of 0.21) among both adolescents and adults. Logistic regression analyses show that positive attitudes toward safer sex, ever having refused sex without a condom and believing in condom efficacy all significantly predicted use of the condom with another method. Having ever been tested for HIV was negatively related to combined use, while behavioral risk factors showed no association.