Correlates of condom use stage of change: Implications for intervention

A telephone survey was used to collect data on attitudes, beliefs, and practices concerning condom use among 812 African Americans with regular sex partners and of reproductive age in Baltimore. Condom use was 'staged' according to Prochaska's model of stage of behavioral change. Characteristics of the respondents' sexual relationships, peer characteristics, and demographic and psychosocial characteristics were examined for their association with the stage of condom use. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that a partner's reaction to condom use, condom use self-efficacy with the partner, condom use outcome expectancy with the partner, perceived partner risk, length of relationship, sterility, cohabitation, perceived vulnerability to HIV infection and perceived peer norms about condom use were each independently related to staged condom use. Gender differences in the relationship of these independent variables with stages of change were found. Implications for intervention include differential treatment by gender and stage of change. Couples should also be considered for intervention.