African American Perceptions on the Use of Condoms Essay

In the last couple of decades, African Americans as a community have been disproportionally affected by the HIV pandemic in the United States of America. This phenomenon can be supported by the increasing number of males who have been affected by the disease as a result of having sexual intercourse with men. Although the study is predominantly for African American women, it is only wise to stipulate their sexual partners are male. Therefore, it is important to also include HIV risk factors that men in the African American community (Kirby, Laris & Rolleri, 2007). A growing trend as far as HIV prevalence is concerned is that gay sex is contributing to the spread of HIV in an alarming manner among African American men. It is also vital to point out that the level of HIV prevalence among the African American men is higher than any other ethnic minority in the country, with an average of 14.1%. The latinos come next with a distant 6.9%. These statistics depict that with men at an increased risk of HIV among the African American community, women are also at an increased risk as well.

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The use of condoms is surrounded by perceptions that make it difficult for the sexual partners to use them frequently and with ease. These perceptions can also be as a result of social norms in the community, and have been found have a massive effect on the spread of the disease in the community (Kirby, Laris & Rolleri, 2007). Social norms can be described as expectations of attitudes and behaviors acceptable within a community or within a certain group of peers as prescribed by the respective members of that group or the community. Social norms are comprised of two categories, the actual norms, and the perceived norms. On one hand, actual norms can be said to be the correct social norms for a particular behavior or attitude, for instance, the majority of group members may report that they do not use condoms. On the other hand, perceived norms can be referred to as what individuals believe to be social norms for a particular group, for instance, an individual may believe that most of his peers do not use condoms. Normative beliefs have the capacity to affect a group of individuals in the bid to change their behaviors or attitudes on a particular issue because of the influence of other members or individuals in the network (Kirby, Laris & Rolleri, 2007). In the case of HIV prevention, the theory of social network is of the suggestion that members function within social networks that bring about norms for safer or risky sexual behavior. Further, social networks have the propensity to enforce adherence to social norms through the provision of information that can either be supportive or otherwise of a particularly risky or safer norm. This effectively implies that if a risk is normative and is socially rewarded within a social network, then it is highly unlikely that risk reduction will occur unless norms put through are modified. In addition, if the risk behavior is not in agreement with the social norms of the network and is considered unacceptable within a certain group of individuals then the social network can champion the change of social norms that are in opposition of safer sexual behaviors.

Some other perceptions of using condoms in the prevention of HIV epidemic have been found to have a connection with the benefits that condoms have in preventing pregnancy. As such, some of the members of the African American community consider the financial burden that comes with a pregnancy in the bid to decide the consumption of using condoms during sexual intercourse (Gupta, et al., 2008). In this case, male sexual partners consider the use of condoms during sexual intercourse as important in the prevention of HIV, while female sexual partners fancy the use of condoms during sexual intercourse as key primarily for the prevention of pregnancy and child support expenses. Other perceptions on the use of condoms during sexual intercourse were aesthetic benefits such as condoms prolonging erections or being used for the enhancement of foreplay. In this regard, with these benefits on the fold, men in the African American community in the United States would prefer to use condoms during sexual intercourse and thereby increase the chances of preventing the spread of the HIV, however, it is not clear that this benefit applies to women as well, who were the focus of this study. Therefore, men would perceive to use condoms during sexual intercourse due to this benefit.

Some of the members of the African American community would point out the discomfort that comes with the use of condoms during sexual intercourse. One of the members of the study would stipulate that their opinion would be that men do not like to use condoms during penetrative penile-vaginal sexual intercourse because they would take away the feeling of pleasure that is associated with the actual flesh contact. Many authors cite that condoms are prone to tear, break and are prone to get holes in them, which also depends on the type of lubricant they are used with (Gupta, et al., 2008). Another perception that determines the use of condoms among the African American members of the community is the social construct of men should be the ones to come up with the idea. Women in the community are of the idea that men should be the ones to decide whether a condom would be used in a sexual activity or not. This is because some of the male sexual partners are violent and are rather dictatorial as far as the matters of sexual activities are concerned. As such, since their female sexual partner fears them, they find themselves in the limbo whether to insist on the use of condoms and risk crumbling the sexual relationship or let their male partners decide. In most cases, this scenario has led to total negligence by male African Americans from using condoms, hence increasing the risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections, including the HIV.

HINDRANCES TO THE USE CONDOMS

There are various factors that lead to the lack of condom use among the members of the African American community. Although some of these factors could be related to the relationship itself, there are others that are not related to the relationship, as a culture, the economy and the social factors also play a part.

Low self-esteem

It is essential to assert that sexual partners with low self-esteem have been found to exhibit less sexual protective behaviors; hence their sexual partners are deprived of their right to choose because they consider themselves worthless. This phenomenon is exhibited especially by sex workers or prostitutes. It is believed that whoever does that sort of business has already relinquished their dignity, conscience, and salvation (Gupta, et al., 2008). It is thought that it is not important for the sex workers, after all, since they already dislike themselves and such people are deprived of their right to choose whether to use condoms or not. It is the same case with a drug abuser, in that they do not place any importance on the use of condoms since they do not like themselves that much in the first place. Therefore, low self-esteem in persons is a huge hindrance in using condoms as means to prevent the spread of HIV epidemic.

Low self-efficacy and lack of behavioral skills

In this case, there are two element s involved; which include lack of communication skills in the attempt to reach an agreement regarding the use of condoms and the lack of efficiency or awareness in using the condom. The inability of sexual partners to come to an agreement on the use of condoms has proved to be one of the biggest hindrances to the use of condoms. Under normal circumstances, women are more inclined to the idea of using condoms during sexual intercourse than their male counterparts. If these sexual partners fail to agree on this important matter, then it is highly unlikely that condoms will be used during sexual intercourse. Further, sexual partners may not have the knowledge on the best practices in using condoms, and in the event that there is a difficulty in using condoms, then they may opt against using them after all.

Lack of Motivation for Protection

In some cases sexual partners may lack motivation for protection in the event they deem unnecessary. This phenomenon can arise as a result of the influence of drugs, disagreement with sexual partners and the likes. Lack of motivation for the use of protection, especially condoms can be catastrophic in the bid to curb the spread of HIV epidemic (Flexner, 2002). The predominance of emotional needs, lustful desires, as well as the abuse of the substance, as mentioned above, are some of the factors that have contributed to the lack of motivation for protection. Hence, they have disregarded the need for the use of condoms, thereby increasing the risk of contracting the disease.

Emotional Needs

The irresistible need for intimacy and affection are some of the other important factors that hinder the perception of risk and in many cases prompt sexual partners to ignore the risk involved in engaging in unprotected sex, hence the reason for neglecting the use of condoms. With the growing affection and intimacy between sexual partners makes it less and less likely that they would use condoms during sexual intercourse (Flexner, 2002). With time, the use of condoms by such couples is neglected, hence affecting the number of condoms used by sexual partners.

Lustful Desire

In some cases, the desire by sexual partners to achieve sexual pleasure brings about a barrier in the bid to use condoms during sexual intercourse. It is only fitting to assert that in some instances, something like a big urge to satisfy sexual desires overcomes the reasoning of a sexual partner and in most cases, they would only reason after the desire has been quenched (Flexner, 2002). This implies that the reason to use protection like condoms would come later, posing a big threat in consumption of condoms.

Substance Abuse

The abuse of substance as well as the consumption of alcohol has a massive effect and influence the ability of sexual partners especially women, to have a blurred judgment on the choices and decisions they can make. In the event they are under the influence of these, then they put themselves at a greater risk of contracting the HIV epidemic. This phenomenon is even more apparent within the African American community with men leading the lot with substance abuse and alcoholism in the United States (Garcia-Retamero, 2011). The implication of this scenario is that African American women and their sexual partners are more susceptible to HIV epidemic. It is only befitting to assert that drug addicts need money to have their next purchase of drug and stay high. It means that if there is no money, they cannot buy their drugs and when there are no drugs, they cannot enjoy. It is only fitting to assert that when somebody is not worried about crack or other substances, they are certainly not worried about sexually transmitted infections (Garcia-Retamero, 2011). As such, many African American women who are always under the influence of drugs and other intoxicants do not use condoms during sexual intercourse, since they can anything just to get money to get their drugs.

Lack of Threat

In often times, despite the presence of high-risk factors that are brought about by the indulgence of unprotected sex, many of the African American women are not aware of the danger they are exposed to in the event they do not engage in unprotected sex. These groups are swayed away by trust, loyalty, and judgment, all of which are deceiving sometimes (Garcia-Retamero, 2011). In this case, sexual partners do not factor in using condoms during sexual intercourse. The consequence of this phenomenon is that African American women in such environment are exposed to higher risks of HIV epidemic....