Condom use: the reality of adolescents and young adults from an urban settlement

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and factors associated with the use of male condoms in adolescents and young adults from urban settlement areas in a city of central-western Brazil. This is a cross-sectional investigation with 105 adolescents and young students aged 12 to 24 years, which used a structured questionnaire. Of the total number of interviewees, 61 (58.1%) had started their sexual life; of these, only 38.3% reported regular condom use. Education over six years (p=0.02), access to sexuality information with parents (p=0.05) and at school (p=0.04) were factors associated with condom use. The results confirm the importance of investing in health policies that invest in working together among healthcare professionals, families and educational institutions, in order to minimize the vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Infections.