Condom use by heterosexual students: justifications for unprotected intercourse

In 1993, heterosexual students in relationships of at least six months standing were asked to report their condom use on the first occasion they had sexual intercourse and the most recent occasion they had intercourse with their current partner. Those subjects who reported not using condoms on either occasion were asked to recall justifications for unprotected intercourse. The length of time that subjects had known their partner before first intercourse was associated with condom use. The most common justification for not using condoms on the first occasion concerned perceptions about whether or not their partner appeared to be infected. The need for health campaigns to target such misperceptions is discussed. It was possible to distinguish between those individuals who never used condoms with their current partner, and those individuals who reported using condoms on the first encounter with their current partner but not the most recent sexual encounter. The latter group were found to be more likely to justify unprotected sex because of the reduction in sensation experienced when using condoms. The implications of these findings for health education with young heterosexuals are discussed.