Women at risk of HIV/STD: the importance of male partners as barriers to condom use.

Women's perceptions of power in their relationship with their main partner, control over condom use, concerns about potential partner retribution, condom requests, and condom use were assessed by interviewing a group of women attending two urban public clinics for sexually transmitted diseases in Alabama. Only 5% reported that they had no control over condom use by their partner. Fears of catastrophic partner reactions to condom use requests (sexual coercion, abuse, or abandonment) and experiences of partner objections were also uncommon. Women did not perceive themselves to be powerless. Inconsistent condom use was associated with wanting condom use but not asking and with perceived consequences of relationship loss, however, most power-related measures, including physical abuse, were not related to condom use in the 30 days prior to the interview. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]