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Females Of The Reproductive Ages Who Have Never Used A Condom With A Non-Steady Sexual Partner
3524-3533
Correspondence
Socio-Medical Research Institute, Kingston, Jamaica (Formerly Department of Community Health and Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the author: Paul Andrew Bourne, Director, Socio-Medical Research Institute, Kingston, Jamaica. Email: paulbourne1@yahoo.com. Tel: (876) 457-6990.
Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that those with multiple sexual partners are more likely to be unmarried, younger (in adolescence years), and have a greater risk of contracting a sexually transmitted infection than those with single sexual partners. Yet, no studies have examined the females who are involved in multiple sexual relationships, who have never used a condom with their non-steady partners.
Aims: The aim of the current study is: to elucidate (1) the socio-demographical characteristics of the females who have never used a condom with a non-steady partner, (2) the factors which account for their method of contraception, and (3) the factors that explain the age at the first sexual intercourse of this cohort.
Methods: The data for this analysis was taken from the 2002 Reproductive Health Survey. The current study extracted a sample of 109 female respondents who were aged 15-44 years, who indicated having never used a condom with their non-steady sexual partners, from a sample of 7,168 individuals. Results: One and one half percentage of the females aged 15-49 years indicated having never used a condom with a non-steady sexual partner. Almost 81% of the sample had sex in the last 30 days, and the mean age was 30.4 years (SD = 8.1 years). Two variables emerged as the statistically significant factors of the ages at the first sexual intercourse of the samples, and they explained 38.8% of the variance. Three variables emerged as the statistically significant factors which explained the ages at which the females never used a condom with their non-steady sexual partner and this explained 40.1% of the variability.
Conclusion: A multi-level approach to intervention has to be used to address polygamy and the inconsistent condom use among females who have non-steady partners in Jamaica; otherwise this risky behaviour will not be changed.