Background:
Extensive research in sexually experienced populations suggests that condom use is less common with main than with non-main partners.

Objective:
To identify the reasons for condom use and non-use with most recent main and non-main sex partners among sexually experienced teens.

Method:
Adolescents (15 to 18 years old) participated in individual qualitative interviews that assessed their sexual education, relationship concepts, sexual history and suggestions for creating sex education programming. Demographic and theme-based data from the interview are used in the current study.

Result:
The sample consisted of 19 urban youths (12 females, 7 males; average age = 16.3; SD = 0.89; 53% Hispanic, 32% Black, 21% Mixed Race, 16% Caucasian). For their last sex using a condom half reported main partners. In contrast, more than ¾ reported sex with main partners for their last sex without the use of a condom. Themes concerning reasons for condom non-use with main and non-main partners were very similar, including lack of physical feelings, condoms not being available, being “swept away,” and use of other birth control methods. Themes associated with reasons for condom use differed between the partner types. With main partners, concerns about pregnancy were most often reported as motivators for condom use. In fact, ¾ of the girls who reported a main partner for their most recent sex with a condom reported a previous pregnancy. With non-main partners, concerns about sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs) were offered as reasons for using condoms.

Conclusion:
Partner type did not appear to influence the reasons that condoms were not used among sexually experienced adolescents. However, the context of partner type did differentiate reasons why condoms were used.

Implications:
Further examination of partner type's influence on adolescent sexual decision-making may assist in guiding tailored risk reduction interventions to encourage condom use with all sexual partners.