Young Women and Limits to the Normalization of Condom Use: A Qualitative Study

While encouraging condom use by young women is "a major focus" of HIV/STI prevention, "the degree to which they see themselves as being at risk limits their use of this method," the authors wrote. In the current study, they examined "the extent to which condom use has become normalized among young women."

Twenty 20-year-old women in eastern Scotland participated in in-depth interviews on the topic. The researchers used purposive sampling to select a heterogeneous group with different levels of sexual experience, representing different social backgrounds. All the interviewees had used male condoms; however, only three reported doing so consistently. The remainder of subjects had switched to other birth-control methods, chiefly the pill, though they typically returned to condom use occasionally.

"Condoms were talked about as the most readily available contraceptive method, and were most often the first contraceptive method used," the authors wrote. "The young women had ingrained expectations of use, but for most, these centered only on their new or casual partners, with whom not using condoms was thought to be irresponsible." The women's trust in condoms was lessened by the fact that reports of condom failure, dislike, and negative experiences were common.

The STI prevention offered by condoms was rated as important but was secondary to pregnancy prevention. Condom use declined along with the perceived risk of STIs in relationships with boyfriends.

"The promotion of condoms for STI prevention alone fails to consider the wider influences of partners and young women's negative experiences of the method," the authors concluded. "Focusing on the development of condom negotiation skills alone will not address these issues. Interventions to counter dislike, method failure, and the limits of normalization of condom use should be included in STI prevention efforts."

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