Author:
Julie Pulerwitz, ScD1, Hortensia Amaro, PhD2, et al Boston
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Date Posted: Sun, March 04 2001, 7:41:30 PST
Relationship Power and Couples' Use of Condoms
Julie Pulerwitz, ScD1, Hortensia Amaro, PhD2, William DeJong, PhD3, Steven L. Gortmaker, PhD3, and Rima Rudd, ScD3 . (1) Population Council/PATH, 4301 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 280, Washington, DC 20008, (2) School of Public Health, Boston University, 715 Albany Street, T2W, Boston, MA 02118, (3) School of Public Health - HSB Dept., 7th Floor, Harvard University, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
Women's ability to negotiate safer sexual practices, particularly condom use, is vital for HIV/STD prevention and their reproductive health. This study tests the hypothesis that sexual relationship power is a key factor in condom use negotiation. A new measure -- the Sexual Relationship Power Scale (SRPS)-- was applied in the investigation. Data were collected from 388 women at an urban community health center, the majority of whom were Latina (89%) and African-American (8%). Women with high levels of relationship power were approximately five times as likely as women with low levels to report consistent condom use, after controlling for relevant socio-demographic and psycho-social variables (p<0.05). An estimated 52% of the lack of consistent condom use among women in the population can be attributed to low sexual relationship power (assuming a causal relationship). These findings underscore the importance of including the issue of relationship power in the design and implementation of programs that promote safer sex decision-making.
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