Estimated condom failure and frequency of condom use among gay men

Abstract

Objectives: Condoms are designed to bar transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but they sometimes fail. This paper explores the effect of experience with condoms on condom failure among gay men.

Methods: Risk of condom failure (breakage or slippage) on a single occasion is estimated for four sexual acts reported over 12 months by a sample of gay New York City men (n = 741). The estimation procedure assumes that each episode in which a condom is used is an independent event. Evidence is offered to support this assumption.

Results: Risk of condom failure in a single episode was fairly high, particularly in anal intercourse, for men who had engaged in each act only a few times in the previous year. It declined rapidly with experience (e.g., to below 1% for receptive anal intercourse after about 10 episodes in the previous year). Condoms failed less often in oral than anal sex, but estimated risk of failure also decreased with experience.

Conclusions: Gay men should be especially cautious the first few times they use a condom; after moderate experience, however, they may expect a low risk of condom failure.