Research Brief Variations in Young Men’s and Women’s Attitudes and Intentions to Use Condoms With Different Types of Sexual Partners Brandon J. Hill, PhD(c) Erick E. Amick, MPH, MA Stephanie A. Sanders, PhD Key words: Condom attitudes, condoms, sexual attitudes, sexual partner types, young adults Currently, the most highly effective method for the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and sexually trans- mitted infections (STIs), including HIV, is the consis- tent and correct use of condoms (Warner & Hatcher, 1998). Research examining the sexual behaviors and risks of adolescents and young adults is particularly important given that this is a time in psychosocial development when young people are becoming sexu- ally active (Carver, Joyner, & Udry, 2004). During this critical period, adolescents and young adults may be increasing the risks of STI and HIV infection by not using condoms (Brown & Vanable, 2007; Reisen & Poppen, 1999). It is estimated that roughly half of the new HIV infections in the United States are among young people under the age of 25 years (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). The purpose of the current study was to assess the attitudes young men and women have toward condoms and their intentions to use condoms with different types of sexual partners. This approach conceptualizes attitudes and intentions to use condoms with different sexual partner types as a potential predictor of actual condom use with various sexual partner types (e.g., monogamous, casual). Research in the area of adolescent and young adult sexual health has outlined several different ways in which individuals conceptualize sexual partners (Bauman & Berman, 2005; Ellen, Cahn, Eyre, & Boyer, 1996; Lansky, Thomas, & Earp, 1998; Reisen & Poppen, 1999; Rosengard, Adler, Gurvey, & Ellen, 2005). Variations in conceptualization may also influence the intention to use condoms with different types of partners on the basis of the amount of perceived risk (Lescano, Vazquez, Brown, Litvin, & Pugatch, 2006; Reisen & Poppen, 1999). Other research has indicated that adolescents and young adults’ views regarding sexual risk and disease potential vary across types of sexual partners, which may affect intentions to use condoms consistently for sexual interactions across a spectrum of sexual behaviors and sexual partner types (Brown & Vanable, 2007; Chatterjee, Hosain, & Williams, 2006; Macaluso, Demand, Artz, & Hook, 2000). Inconsistent condom use during adolescent and young adult first sexual experiences remains a clinical challenge for the prevention of STIs. Behavioral theory provides a useful tool to identity and target modifiable determinants of sexual behavior for both clinical Brandon J. Hill, PhD(c), is a Research Associate at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Repro- duction, and the Department of Gender Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Erick E. Amick, MPH, MA, is an Advanced Research Assistant at The Kinsey Insti- tute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, Indi- ana University, Bloomington, Indiana. Stephanie A. Sanders, PhD, is Associate Director at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction, and Professor in the Department of Gender Studies, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA. JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION OF NURSES IN AIDS CARE, Vol. 23, No. 5, September/October 2012, 454-459 doi:10.1016/j.jana.2011.09.007 Copyright Ó 2012 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care