STDs Do Not Scare Men into Using Condoms

Even the unpleasantness of a sexually transmitted disease (STD) still has some men refusing to use condoms regularly, reports a study published in the American Journal of Health Behavior (January/February 2004). The study found that two thirds of men with a primary sexual partner and one third of those without a primary partner told researchers they did not use condoms consistently.

Study author Diane Grimley, PhD, found that even after seeking treatment for an STD and recognizing the protective value of condoms, men still refuse to use them. "The situation in which men reported the least confidence in using condoms with a main partner was the one in which they wanted their partner to know that they were 'committed to the relationship,'" said Dr. Grimley.