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  • Title: Alcohol use and contraception in first sexual experiences.
    Author: Leigh BC, Schafer J, Temple MT.
    Journal: J Behav Med; 1995 Feb; 18(1):81-95. PubMed ID: 7595954.
    Abstract:
    Recent research has suggested that the use of alcohol or drugs in conjunction with sexual intercourse is associated with nonuse of contraception, particularly in first intercourse experiences. This paper reports findings from a nationally representative sample of adolescents and young adults aged 18-30 who were asked a number of questions about the circumstances and characteristics of the first time they had intercourse. Results showed that drinking at the time of first intercourse was more prevalent among those who first had sex prior to 1985; moreover, members of this cohort were less likely to use condoms or other forms of birth control at the time of first intercourse. Drinking was associated with nonuse of contraception only among those who had their first sexual experience prior to 1985. The results are discussed in terms of historical changes in the sexual climate of the AIDS era. In order to add to existing knowledge on 1) the use of alcohol in first sexual experiences, 2) the relationship of substance use and contraceptive use, and 3) historical differences in substance use and contraceptive use, 1110 interviews were completed as part of a probability sample of the adult household population of the continental US. Data were weighted to represent the national population and were analyzed in two cohorts: Cohort 1 respondents whose first coitus occurred within five years prior to the interview (approximately from 1985 to 1990) and Cohort 2 respondents whose first coitus occurred more than five years before the interview (before 1985 which also marks when the media began reporting about the heterosexual spread of HIV). It was found that men reported initiating sexual activity and drinking at earlier ages than women. The mean age at first intercourse was equivalent for both cohorts. Early use of alcohol was significantly correlated to early age at first coitus. Bivariate analysis revealed that alcohol use at first coitus was greater for men, Whites, and respondents in Cohort 2. Condom use at first coitus was not related to sex, race, or alcohol use, but it was significantly higher in Cohort 1 as was the use of any type of contraceptive. Multivariate analysis to predict condom use from individual difference and event-level variables revealed no significant paths for Cohort 1. In Cohort 2, those who were younger at first drink were significantly likely to consume more alcohol at first coitus and less likely to use a condom or any type of contraceptive. In the entire sample, 18% of respondents reported drinking at first coitus. The differences between the cohorts may be due to differential memory or social desirability bias, or they may indicate a true cohort effect suggesting that the association of alcohol with the nonuse of contraception may have diminished over time in the AIDS era.
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