“No Glove, No Love”: Cultural Beliefs of African-American Women regarding Influencing Strategies for Condom Use

Abstract

Interviews were conducted with 22 young African-American women at risk of HIV/STDs and unintended pregnancy and their male partners regarding the strategies that they would use to get their partners to use condoms. Content analysis indicated that participants would use verbal (unilateral and bilateral) and non-verbal strategies to get their partners to use condoms. Subsequently, interviews were conducted with an additional 40 women to explore and identify cultural beliefs regarding women's influencing strategies for condom use. Cultural consensus analysis was performed and results indicated that the participants comprise a cultural group with shared beliefs about influencing strategies for condom use. Participants believed that to get their partners to use condoms women: 1) use strong, direct strategies such as threatening to withhold sex; 2) actively participate in condom use by making condoms available and initiating their use; and 3) use interactive strategies such as offering reasons for condom use.