A home-practice intervention for increasing condom use among university undergraduates

Abstract

The consistently high rate of sexually transmitted infections among people 18–24 years old warrants novel strategies promoting condom use among large segments of this population. Ample opportunity exits to employ such strategies in university settings. This study evaluated a sex-positive, home-practice intervention designed to promote condom use among university undergraduates engaging in penile–vaginal intercourse (PVI). A sample of 29 opposite-sex undergraduate couples, engaging in PVI, was recruited from a large university. After teaching couples about condom use, a health educator helped couples select condoms/lubricants from options comprising various sizes, fits, shapes, textures, and other features. A 30-day ‘homework assignment’ was made to use these products while reducing condom use errors/problems and enhancing sexual pleasure. A repeated measures design, with a six-month observation period, was used to evaluate the program. Over the six-month period, the mean frequency of condomless PVI decreased from 26.4 to 3.9 times ( P < .001). Significant and favorable changes were also found relative to attitudes toward condom use ( P =  .027) and in condom use self-efficacy ( P < .001). Most students completing the follow-up assessment indicated the intervention would favorably impact their future condom use. Findings suggest this intervention program may be important to promoting condom use among university couples engaging in PVI.