Analysis of condom use at last sex and sexual debut using the NSFG

Numerous articles investigate condom use in women; however few studies assess condom use at sexual debut and last sex. The goal of this study is to investigate the observed association of condom use at last sex and condom use at first sex in young adult females. Using the National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) cycle 6 data, 89% of the 7,643 respondents reported ever having had sex. Fifty-four percent of the sample was white, the mean age was 29 years old, average education was 13 years and 58% reported testing for HIV. The final analysis sample was restricted to women reporting ever having had sex and having had sex in the previous year, resulting in a sample size of 4,400. Logistic regression was employed to assess the association between condom use at last sex and sexual debut. The final model included race/ethnicity, marital status, income, education, age, HIV test and number of partners last year. The odds of using a condom at last sex are 1.64 higher for women who used a condom at sexual debut than those who did not, holding all other factors constant. Findings from this study illustrate the necessity of directing STI/HIV prevention messages to women prior to sexual debut. Due to the study design, condom use in women who had not had sex in the past year was not assessed. Intentional abstinence may indicate protective sexual behavior characteristics, possibly translating to condom use. Future studies should asses condom use in women who intentional abstain from sex post-sexual debut.