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Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine logoLink to Journal of Urban Health : Bulletin of the New York Academy of Medicine
. 2003 Mar;80(1):147–160. doi: 10.1093/jurban/jtg147

Intention to use condoms among three low-income, urban african American subgroups: Cocaine users, noncocaine drug users, and non-drug users

Levi Ross 1,✉, Connie L Kohler 1, Diane M Grimley 1, Jeffrey Bellis 1
PMCID: PMC3456100  PMID: 12612104

Abstract

Cocaine use, marijuana use, alcohol use, and polysubstance use (e.g., alcohol and cocaine, alcohol and marifuana) are associated with high-risk sexual behavior and higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The purpose of this study was to examine readiness for using condoms among three groups (cocaine users, noncocaine drug users, and non-drug users) of African Americans living in low-income urban settings. African Americans in this sample differed in sex risk behaviors according to their drug use status. Noncocaine drug users reported higher levels of sex risk behaviors than non-drug users, and cocaine users reported the highest levels of risk. Cocaine users also reported lower levels of condom use with their main and nonmain sexual partners than both other groups. Results of multivariate analyses indicate that, compared to the other two groups, cocaine users are at earlier stages of readiness for condom use with main partners. Cocaine users have accurate perceptions of their HIV risk, but are more likely to factor into their decisions for using condoms cost and the trouble that it takes to get condoms. Different approaches to sexually transmitted disease and human immunodeficiency virus prevention will be necessary to meet the needs of these three different subgroups.

Keywords: African Americans, Condom use, Stages of change, STD/HIV risks, Substance use

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