Table 1.

Individual and Social Network Norms Sample Quotes

Qualitative Codes and Subcodes	Selected Qualitative Quotes
Decision to have sex
Chemistry and physical appearance	- There has to be some chemistry there or it’s [sex] not going to happen.
Relationship length and stability	- I have to be in a relationship, and I have to know them like… two to three months.
Sexual history	- If I know that you mess around with nasty people that could possibly have something, like that, definitely a no.
Substance use	- If my partner’s been drinking or anything like that, I’d tell them before we start drinking, ‘we ain’t sleeping together tonight or whatever.’
Decision to use condoms
Unknown sexual history	- I use a condom with everyone I have sex with and I don’t know if he’s hav[ing] sex with other people or not.
Availability	- We don’t use protection … and it’s really hard to find [them]. We’ve looked everywhere. And we just can’t find it [condoms] … even when we knew we were both clean we wanted to use protection but… [never did].
Pregnancy and STI Prevention	- Not trying to get pregnant anymore, and not trying to catch anything.
Safe sex practices
Do not discuss safe sex	- Yah-yah if you use a condom, you use a condom. You know that’s just how it is… but we don’t talk [about it].
Discuss safe sex	- They [network members] pound it in[to] my head a lot, especially Danny. ‘Always use protection.’