Factors associated with condom use in vaginal intercourse among Spanish adults with intellectual disability: Proposal for an explanatory model.
Knowledge plus self-confidence predicts condom use in adults with ID, but only one in four use them every time.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Gil-Llario et al. (2022) asked 253 Spanish adults with intellectual disability about condom use.
They used a short survey. Staff helped when needed.
The team wanted to know who uses condoms every time and why.
What they found
Only 28 out of every the adults used a condom every time they had sex.
Two things stood out: knowing the facts and feeling able to ask for a condom.
Together, knowledge and self-confidence explained almost half of the difference between users and non-users.
How this fits with other research
McMahon et al. (2014) showed a short computer lesson can raise both knowledge and skill. Their men with ID could put on a model condom better after one hour. Dolores adds the next step: knowledge plus self-confidence predicts real use.
Brown et al. (2019) found families and staff often block sex talk because they feel scared or unsure. Low support at home may explain why Dolores’ numbers stay low even when people know the facts.
Smith et al. (2020) surveyed Irish adults with ID and found 58 % have trouble speaking up. Communication problems could shrink the “self-efficacy” link Dolores highlights.
Why it matters
You can’t fix low condom use with facts alone. Add short, visual lessons like Jennifer’s program. Then give clients safe chances to practice saying, “I need a condom.” Track self-confidence, not just quiz scores.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The prevention of HIV or other STIs in people with intellectual disabilities (ID) is a rarely studied subject even though this population group is at the same risk of infection as the general population. AIMS: The present study aims to conduct a descriptive analysis of sexual behaviours and condom use frequency in Spanish men and women with intellectual disabilities and identify the combination of variables that best explain condom use in vaginal intercourse. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The sample consisted of 253 people (56.1 % male and 43.9 % female) aged between 20 and 64 years (M = 38.52; SD = 10.48). Participants completed the Sexuality Questionnaire for People with Intellectual Disabilities and the Sexual Abuse Risk Screening Scale. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The percentage of consistent condom use is 27.7 % for vaginal intercourse. Lack of knowledge about body boundaries constitutes a risk factor contributing to risky sexual behaviour. Knowledge of HIV-transmitting fluids and perceived self-efficacy are protective factors. The proposed model explains between 35.5 % and 46.6 % of the variance. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The results highlight the importance of considering the judgements people make about their ability to perform preventive behaviour and the provision of information on sexuality adapted to cognitive abilities to minimise the engagement in risky behaviours.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2022 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2021.104157