PERCEIVED BARRIERS AND BENEFITS OF CONDOM USE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS.

CONDOMS; COLLEGE students' sexual behavior; SEXUAL excitement; BIRTH control; SAFE sex

College students engage in high risk sexual behaviors. Condom use is one method of preventing negative consequences of risky sexual behaviors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify perceived barriers and perceived benefits to condom use among college students. A survey was developed and used to assess the study purpose. Study findings indicated barriers to condom use were reduced pleasure (32.5%), knowing a partner's sexual history (26.5%), and condoms limit intimacy (19.9%). The leading benefits of condom use were preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (63.8%), condoms help prevent sexually transmitted diseases (50.1%), and feelings of safety after using condoms (49.3%). Number of partners significantly influenced the perceived barriers (p <.001) and benefits (vaginal and oral p <.001; anal p = .036). These findings may beneficial to those creating safer sex educational programs aimed at increasing rates of condom use among college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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