CJHS Abstracts: Vol 6(3) 1997

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality (CJHS)

Volume 6, Number 3, 1997
Commentary, Issues and Strategies in STD Prevention and Control: A View from Clinical, Public Health and Community Settings By Michael L. Rekart, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control. Canada's goals for STD control must be considered in the context of the social, economic, political and personal environment. Key issues include behavioural determinants of STD risk, access to clinical services, social supports, reducing discrimination, expanding life opportunities, resource maintenance, life skills and self-esteem, social marketing, school health curricula and political impediments. Successful strategies to reduce sexually transmitted diseases will depend on our ability to change the behaviour of Canadian society with respect to populations at greatest risk, including youth. It will rely on changing our own attitudes as well. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 179-184) Factors Influencing Condom Use among Students attending High School in Nova Scotia By Holly R. L. Richardson & Richard P. Beazley, Faculty of Health Professions, Dalhousie University, Mary E. Delaney, Department of Psychology, Mount Saint Vincent University, and Donald B. Langille, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University. To examine factors influencing condom use among high school students in Amherst, Nova Scotia, a self-administered questionnaire was completed by students at the town's only high school. Using the theory of planned behaviour as a framework, students' attitudes, social normative beliefs, perceived control, and intentions regarding condom use were determined and were used to predict actual use among 295 male and 345 female students aged 13 to 19. Though 75% of respondents indicated they would always use condoms, only 55% used a condom at last vaginal intercourse, and only 42% during their last three episodes of vaginal sex. In regression analysis, attitudes towards condoms, social normative beliefs regarding condom use and perceived control over condom use accounted for 33% of the variance in predicting intentions to use condoms, with age, gender and place of residence used as covariates. Only negative attitudes towards condoms significantly predicted intentions to use condoms. Regarding actual condom use, being female, having a negative attitude towards condoms and weaker intentions to use condoms were significant predictors of having had vaginal sex without a condom at last three episodes of vaginal intercourse. The finding that attitude was the strongest predictor of intentions to use condoms, while attitudes, intentions and gender were the strongest predictors of use, suggests that these may be important factors in effective STD and pregnancy prevention programs. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 185-196) A Comparison of the Demographic, Lifestyle, and Sexual Behaviour Characteristics of Virgin and non-Virgin Adolescents By Linda Feldman, Philippa Holowaty, Bart Harvey, Katherine Rannie, Linda Short, & Alykhan Jamal, East York Health Unit, East York, Ontario. This study used cluster analysis to compare the demographic, lifestyle, and sexual behaviour characteristics among virgin (n=605) and non-virgin (n=321) high-school students in grades 9 to 13. In a multiple logistic regression model (p = .0001), being in grade 9, 10, or 11, being female, doing 14 or more hours a week of homework, and stating ethnicity as Asian were significantly associated with being a virgin. Involvement in a serious relationship in the previous 12 months, masturbation of or by a partner, oral sex of or by a partner, heavy drinking, drinking and driving, daily smoking, and doing 5 or less hours of homework per week were significantly associated with being a non-virgin. Parent education, birthplace, religious attendance, TV/computer/phone use, physical activity, feelings of happiness, family functioning, and satisfaction with serious relationship were not significantly associated with virginity status. In addition, non-virgin students who had a serious relationship in the previous 12 months were significantly less likely to state that they were very likely to use condoms than those who had not been in a serious relationship. Nineteen percent of virgin students had engaged in either masturbation of or by a partner or oral sex of or by a partner. Among non-virgin students, 46% used condoms every time during the pervious five times they had vaginal or anal intercourse. Among non-virgin students, 16% had experienced anal intercourse. The findings are discussed in relation to the sexual health education needs of adolescents. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 197-210) Depression Among Women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire: Orgasm Consistency Training Analysis and Effect on Treatment Outcome By Thomas B. McVey, Department of Psychiatry, Keesler AIR Force Base Hospital, Biloxi, Mississppi. This study addressed two issues concerning the clinical and theoretical relevance of depression to hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSD): (a) whether reliable differences among depressed, mildly depressed, and non-depressed women with HSD could be identified; and (b) whether depression influenced participation in or outcome following orgasm consistency training (OCT). To address the first issue, four theoretical constructs (sexual desire intensity, sexual motivation, marital functioning, sexual characteristics) were measured by multiple scales. Multivariate analyses of each construct revealed significant differences among the three groups on marital functioning and sexual characteristics, with more depressed women reporting lower marital functioning and less positive sexual characteristics. There was a tendency for depressed women to report less sexual motivation. An analysis of the second issue revealed that depressed women with HSD showed a greater tendency to drop out of OCT. Outcome did not vary with depression among treatment completers. Although these findings demonstrate OCT as an effective program in treating depressed women with HSD, the need to consider an OCT model for women with HSD who are depressed is indicated. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 211-220) Drug and Alcohol Problems: Heterosexual Compared to Lesbian and Bisexual Women By Christine Flynn Saulnier, School of Social Work, Boston University and Brenda Miller, School of Social Work, State University of New York. This exploratory study compared alcohol and drug use experiences of 19 lesbian/bisexual women and 19 heterosexual women matched according to age, race and socio-economic status. Participants were drawn from a larger study on the relationship between alcohol and family violence among women. The only significant difference found was a higher frequency of use of marijuana by lesbian and bisexual women (t=-0.70, p<.001). Although lesbian and bisexual women did report problems slightly more often than heterosexual women, the differences were not significant. This contradicts earlier reports of more serious drug and alcohol problems among lesbians. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 221-232)

Volume 6, Number 3, 1997

Commentary, Issues and Strategies in STD Prevention and Control: A View from Clinical, Public Health and Community Settings
By Michael L. Rekart, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control.

Canada's goals for STD control must be considered in the context of the social, economic, political and personal environment. Key issues include behavioural determinants of STD risk, access to clinical services, social supports, reducing discrimination, expanding life opportunities, resource maintenance, life skills and self-esteem, social marketing, school health curricula and political impediments. Successful strategies to reduce sexually transmitted diseases will depend on our ability to change the behaviour of Canadian society with respect to populations at greatest risk, including youth. It will rely on changing our own attitudes as well.
(The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 179-184)

Factors Influencing Condom Use among Students attending High School in Nova Scotia
By Holly R. L. Richardson & Richard P. Beazley, Faculty of Health Professions, Dalhousie University, Mary E. Delaney, Department of Psychology, Mount Saint Vincent University, and Donald B. Langille, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University.

To examine factors influencing condom use among high school students in Amherst, Nova Scotia, a self-administered questionnaire was completed by students at the town's only high school. Using the theory of planned behaviour as a framework, students' attitudes, social normative beliefs, perceived control, and intentions regarding condom use were determined and were used to predict actual use among 295 male and 345 female students aged 13 to 19. Though 75% of respondents indicated they would always use condoms, only 55% used a condom at last vaginal intercourse, and only 42% during their last three episodes of vaginal sex. In regression analysis, attitudes towards condoms, social normative beliefs regarding condom use and perceived control over condom use accounted for 33% of the variance in predicting intentions to use condoms, with age, gender and place of residence used as covariates. Only negative attitudes towards condoms significantly predicted intentions to use condoms. Regarding actual condom use, being female, having a negative attitude towards condoms and weaker intentions to use condoms were significant predictors of having had vaginal sex without a condom at last three episodes of vaginal intercourse. The finding that attitude was the strongest predictor of intentions to use condoms, while attitudes, intentions and gender were the strongest predictors of use, suggests that these may be important factors in effective STD and pregnancy prevention programs. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 185-196)

A Comparison of the Demographic, Lifestyle, and Sexual Behaviour Characteristics of Virgin and non-Virgin Adolescents
By Linda Feldman, Philippa Holowaty, Bart Harvey, Katherine Rannie, Linda Short, & Alykhan Jamal, East York Health Unit, East York, Ontario.

This study used cluster analysis to compare the demographic, lifestyle, and sexual behaviour characteristics among virgin (n=605) and non-virgin (n=321) high-school students in grades 9 to 13. In a multiple logistic regression model (p = .0001), being in grade 9, 10, or 11, being female, doing 14 or more hours a week of homework, and stating ethnicity as Asian were significantly associated with being a virgin. Involvement in a serious relationship in the previous 12 months, masturbation of or by a partner, oral sex of or by a partner, heavy drinking, drinking and driving, daily smoking, and doing 5 or less hours of homework per week were significantly associated with being a non-virgin. Parent education, birthplace, religious attendance, TV/computer/phone use, physical activity, feelings of happiness, family functioning, and satisfaction with serious relationship were not significantly associated with virginity status. In addition, non-virgin students who had a serious relationship in the previous 12 months were significantly less likely to state that they were very likely to use condoms than those who had not been in a serious relationship. Nineteen percent of virgin students had engaged in either masturbation of or by a partner or oral sex of or by a partner. Among non-virgin students, 46% used condoms every time during the pervious five times they had vaginal or anal intercourse. Among non-virgin students, 16% had experienced anal intercourse. The findings are discussed in relation to the sexual health education needs of adolescents. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 197-210)

Depression Among Women with Hypoactive Sexual Desire: Orgasm Consistency Training Analysis and Effect on Treatment Outcome
By Thomas B. McVey, Department of Psychiatry, Keesler AIR Force Base Hospital, Biloxi, Mississppi.

This study addressed two issues concerning the clinical and theoretical relevance of depression to hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSD): (a) whether reliable differences among depressed, mildly depressed, and non-depressed women with HSD could be identified; and (b) whether depression influenced participation in or outcome following orgasm consistency training (OCT). To address the first issue, four theoretical constructs (sexual desire intensity, sexual motivation, marital functioning, sexual characteristics) were measured by multiple scales. Multivariate analyses of each construct revealed significant differences among the three groups on marital functioning and sexual characteristics, with more depressed women reporting lower marital functioning and less positive sexual characteristics. There was a tendency for depressed women to report less sexual motivation. An analysis of the second issue revealed that depressed women with HSD showed a greater tendency to drop out of OCT. Outcome did not vary with depression among treatment completers. Although these findings demonstrate OCT as an effective program in treating depressed women with HSD, the need to consider an OCT model for women with HSD who are depressed is indicated. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 211-220)

Drug and Alcohol Problems: Heterosexual Compared to Lesbian and Bisexual Women
By Christine Flynn Saulnier, School of Social Work, Boston University and Brenda Miller, School of Social Work, State University of New York.

This exploratory study compared alcohol and drug use experiences of 19 lesbian/bisexual women and 19 heterosexual women matched according to age, race and socio-economic status. Participants were drawn from a larger study on the relationship between alcohol and family violence among women. The only significant difference found was a higher frequency of use of marijuana by lesbian and bisexual women (t=-0.70, p<.001). Although lesbian and bisexual women did report problems slightly more often than heterosexual women, the differences were not significant. This contradicts earlier reports of more serious drug and alcohol problems among lesbians. (The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality, 1997; 6: 221-232)

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