Predictors of condom use among African American males at high risk for HIV

589 Black males reporting vaginal sex in the last 30 days recruited from 4 mainly African-American low-income inner-city communities in Dallas Texas participated in a study to identify the predictors of condom use in the sample. The men 16-70 years old of mean age 35 years responded to the Brief Street Intercept Interview comprised of 138 items on sexual and drug use behaviors attitudes toward risk reduction practices perceived norms self-efficacy and response efficacy perceived risk of HIV infection interventions to engage in risk reduction and exposure to HIV/AIDS information. In addition to vaginal sex the men reported engaging in oral sex (42.0%) and anal sex (17.3%) during the past 30 days. An HIV risk model a condom use attitudes model and a model combining HIV risk and attitudes were applied to compare the influence of HIV risk behaviors and condom use attitudes upon condom use in this heterosexual sample. The General Linear Test was used to test the ability of regression models to reduce error variance. Analysis of the data found that a model which measures only attitudes toward condom use suffices to explain variance in the frequency of condom use among Black men in this sample regardless of whether sex partners are primary or nonprimary. Condom use enjoyment social norms self-efficacy and social influence were the strongest predictors of condom use.