Correlates of Partner-Specific Condom Use Intentions Among Incarcerated Women in Rhode Island

CONTEXT-Few studies of incarcerated women have examined potential associations between risky sexual behavior and relationship context factors; thus, little is known about the correlates of intentions to use condoms with main and casual partners among this underserved population. METHODS-A sample of 221 women incarcerated in a Rhode Island Department of Corrections facility in 2002-2003 were interviewed.Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to assess associations between selected demographic, psychosocial and behavioral variables and participants' reported intentions to use condoms with main and casual sexual partners in the first six months after their release. RESULTS-Condom use at last sex with a main partner, sexually transmitted disease (STD) history, no strong desire to currently be pregnant, belief that others influence one's health and perceived STD risk were positively associated with women's intention to use condoms with main partners.Pregnancy history was negatively associated with intention to use condoms with a main partner.Condom use at last sex with a casual partner was positively associated with intention to use condoms with casual partners, whereas binge drinking and believing in the role of chance in determining one's health were negatively associated with intention to use condoms with casual partners.CONCLUSIONS-Whether incarcerated women define a partner as main or casual may influence their decisions about the need to protect themselves by using condoms.Programs that focus on the importance of condom use with all partners could greatly benefit incarcerated women and the communities to which they return.Unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are important and costly public health problems in the United States and are highly prevalent among incarcerated women.Nationally, 6-10% of incarcerated women are pregnant; 1,400 U.S. women gave birth while incarcerated in 1998. 1 Pregnancies in this population usually are unplanned and highrisk, and they typically result in poor outcomes.2 Rates of STDs are substantially higher in the prison population than in the general population; 3 for example, compared with the general female population, incarcerated women had a significantly higher prevalence of chlamydia (27% vs. 0.5%) and gonorrhea (8% vs. 0.1%) in 2001.4 In addition, many STDs increase the risk of HIV transmission at least threefold to fivefold.5 Most incarcerated women have had multiple sexual risk exposures.Hogben and colleagues found that incarcerated women had a relatively high lifetime number of sexual partners, and a large proportion had not used a condom at last sex; more than half reported a history of coerced