Condom Use among Black Youth in South Africa: Do Relationship Characteristics Matter?

Sarah A. Burgard, University of Michigan
Yasamin Kusunoki, University of Michigan

The predictors of condom use have been a focus in South African research addressing the relatively high rates of HIV/AIDS and adolescent pregnancy there. Extant studies have focused mainly on individual- and family-level predictors, but generally have not focused on characteristics of relationships, even though romantic and other sexual relationships are a central context in which sexual activity and decisions about condom use occur. We use two representative samples of youths with detailed relationship-specific information about recent and lifetime sexual relationships. With logistic models we explore youths’ multiple relationship experiences and investigate the importance of a broad set of relationship characteristics for condom use at last sex and consistency of condom use in two different South African contexts, KwaZulu Natal and Cape Town. Findings suggest that heterogamy and commitment influence condom use, but findings differ across samples and depending on the condom use outcome.