Barriers to Consistent Condom Use Among Young People in Ireland

Objective This study investigated the predictive power of specific condom-related beliefs on consistent condom use among young adults in Ireland.Methods A secondary analysis was conducted using the “Young People’s Sexual Health 2024–2025” dataset, a cross-sectional online survey of 1,134 participants, weighted to be representative of adults aged 18–30 in the Republic of Ireland. Binomial logistic regression models were employed to identify attitudinal predictors of consistent condom use.Results While 80% of respondents reported knowing how to use condoms and 76% felt confident negotiating their use, only 24% of the sample reported consistent condom use. Three primary cognitive barriers were identified as significant predictors of inconsistent use: pleasure concerns, diminished spontaneity, and prioritising sexual performance. Pleasure concerns emerged as the strongest predictor, but the presence of all three barriers reduced the probability of consistent use by 30 percentage points (From 37.7% to 7.6%).Conclusions There is a significant dissonance between sexual health knowledge and actual behavior among Irish young adults. Consistent condom use is constrained by hedonic and situational attitudes rather than gender or confidence in negotiating condom use. Future public health interventions in Ireland should shift from purely informative messaging to pleasure-affirming strategies that directly address concerns and narratives regarding the use of condoms as an interference to sex spontaneity and enjoyment.