Adolescent Males' Condom Use: Relationships Between Perceived Cost-Benefits and Consistency.

In analyses from the 1988 National Survey of Adolescent Males, about a third of sexually active males aged 15-19 report they used condoms consistently (i.e., 100% of the time) with their last partner and with recent partners, about half use condoms sometimes, and somewhat under a fifth never use them. Greater consistency of condom use is related to perceived costs-benefits concerning pregnancy prevention, AIDS, partner expectations, embarrassment, and reduction of pleasure. Both the belief that males have a normative responsibility to avoid pregnancy and less actual pill usage by the last partner or recent partners are associated with more condom use. Degree of personal concern about AIDS, and the perception that a partner would appreciate condom use, are associated with more consistent use of condoms. Condom use is inhibited by concerns about embarrassment and reduced sexual pleasure. Educational efforts involving both AIDS and pregnancy may promote consistent use of condoms among teenage males. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]