"Condoms Are Boring": Navigating Relationship Dynamics, Gendered Power, and Motivations for Condomless Sex Amongst Adolescents and Young People in South Africa

doi:10.1080/19317611.2020.1851334

. 2021 Jan 25;33(1):40-57.

doi: 10.1080/19317611.2020.1851334. eCollection 2021.

"Condoms Are Boring": Navigating Relationship Dynamics, Gendered Power, and Motivations for Condomless Sex Amongst Adolescents and Young People in South Africa

Zoe Duby^{1

2}, Kim Jonas^{1

3}, Tracy McClinton Appollis^{1

3}, Kealeboga Maruping¹, Janan Dietrich^{1

4}, Catherine Mathews^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
² Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
³ Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Adolescent Health Research Unit (AHRU), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁴ Perinatal HIV Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

PMID: 38596471
PMCID: PMC10807805
DOI: 10.1080/19317611.2020.1851334

"Condoms Are Boring": Navigating Relationship Dynamics, Gendered Power, and Motivations for Condomless Sex Amongst Adolescents and Young People in South Africa

Zoe Duby et al. Int J Sex Health. 2021.

. 2021 Jan 25;33(1):40-57.

doi: 10.1080/19317611.2020.1851334. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Zoe Duby^{1

2}, Kim Jonas^{1

3}, Tracy McClinton Appollis^{1

3}, Kealeboga Maruping¹, Janan Dietrich^{1

4}, Catherine Mathews^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Health Systems Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
² Division of Social and Behavioural Sciences in the School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
³ Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Adolescent Health Research Unit (AHRU), University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
⁴ Perinatal HIV Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

PMID: 38596471
PMCID: PMC10807805
DOI: 10.1080/19317611.2020.1851334

Abstract

Condoms remain an important method for preventing HIV prevention and unintentional pregnancies, however their use in South Africa is sub-optimal. We analyzed survey data on reported condom use among 3009 sexually active adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15-24 years, and qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions with 237 AGYW and 38 male peers. Our findings describe the current condom use landscape among adolescents and young people in South Africa, illustrating relationship dynamics, gendered power and notions of masculinity which influence condom negotiation and use in young heterosexual South Africans' sexual encounters.

Keywords: Condoms; HIV; HIV prevention; HIV/AIDS; South Africa; adolescent girls and young women; adolescent sexuality; adolescents; contraception; masculinity; pleasure; qualitative studies; quantitative studies; reproductive health; sex/gender roles.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper. Table 1.HERStory Study Qualitative Sample in Five South African Districts by Site. ProvinceWestern Cape (WC)KwaZulu-Natal (KZN)Mpumalanga (MPU)North West (NW)Eastern Cape (EC) DistrictCity of Cape TownKing CetshwayoGert SibandeBojanalaNelson Mandela Bay CharacteristicUrbanRuralSemi–urbanSemi–urbanUrban Sample groupnnnnnTotal nAGYW* aged 15–18 years5228332638177AGYW aged 19–24 years1122891060Total AGYW aged 15–24 years6350413548237Male peers aged 18–24 years78721438*AGYW: adolescent girls and young women.

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References

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[1] Amaro, H. (1995). Love, sex, and power: Considering women's realities in HIV prevention. The American Psychologist, 50(6), 437–447. 10.1037/0003-066X.50.6.437 - DOI - PubMed

[2] Amaro, H. (1995). Love, sex, and power: Considering women's realities in HIV prevention. The American Psychologist, 50(6), 437–447. 10.1037/0003-066X.50.6.437 - DOI - PubMed

[3] Atujuna, M., Newman, P. A., Wallace, M., Eluhu, M., Rubincam, C., Brown, B., & Bekker, L.-G. (2018). Contexts of vulnerability and the acceptability of new biomedical HIV prevention technologies among key populations in South Africa: A qualitative study. PLOS One, 13(2), e0191251. 10.1371/journal.pone.0191251 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[4] Atujuna, M., Newman, P. A., Wallace, M., Eluhu, M., Rubincam, C., Brown, B., & Bekker, L.-G. (2018). Contexts of vulnerability and the acceptability of new biomedical HIV prevention technologies among key populations in South Africa: A qualitative study. PLOS One, 13(2), e0191251. 10.1371/journal.pone.0191251 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[5] Belus, J. M., Baucom, D. H., Carney, T., Carrino, E., & Wechsberg, W. M. (2019). A Model of Heterosexual adaptive relationship functioning in South Africa: Implications for HIV prevention interventions. International Journal of Sexual Health, 30(4), 398–411. 10.1080/19317611.2018.1530324. - DOI

[6] Belus, J. M., Baucom, D. H., Carney, T., Carrino, E., & Wechsberg, W. M. (2019). A Model of Heterosexual adaptive relationship functioning in South Africa: Implications for HIV prevention interventions. International Journal of Sexual Health, 30(4), 398–411. 10.1080/19317611.2018.1530324. - DOI

[7] Bhagwanjee, A., Govender, K., Reardon, C., Johnstone, L., George, G., & Gordon, S. (2013). Gendered constructions of the impact of HIV and AIDS in the context of the HIV-positive seroconcordant heterosexual relationship. Journal of the International AIDS Society, 16, 18021–18011. 10.7448/IAS.16.1.18021. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[8] Bhagwanjee, A., Govender, K., Reardon, C., Johnstone, L., George, G., & Gordon, S. (2013). Gendered constructions of the impact of HIV and AIDS in the context of the HIV-positive seroconcordant heterosexual relationship. Journal of the International AIDS Society, 16, 18021–18011. 10.7448/IAS.16.1.18021. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

[9] Bhana, D. (2017). Love grows with sex: Teenagers negotiating sex and gender in the context of HIV and the implications for sex education. African Journal of AIDS Research, 16(1), 71–79. 10.2989/16085906.2016.1259172. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Bhana, D. (2017). Love grows with sex: Teenagers negotiating sex and gender in the context of HIV and the implications for sex education. African Journal of AIDS Research, 16(1), 71–79. 10.2989/16085906.2016.1259172. - DOI - PubMed

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"Condoms Are Boring": Navigating Relationship Dynamics, Gendered Power, and Motivations for Condomless Sex Amongst Adolescents and Young People in South Africa

Affiliations

"Condoms Are Boring": Navigating Relationship Dynamics, Gendered Power, and Motivations for Condomless Sex Amongst Adolescents and Young People in South Africa

Authors

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Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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