Daily Assessment of Alcohol Consumption and Condom Use with Known and Casual Partners Among Young Female Bar Drinkers

The relationship between alcohol and condom use has been studied extensively over the past several decades. Reviews of event-level studies suggest that alcohol’s effect on risky sexual behavior are not due to simple main effects, but appear to be dependent upon individual characteristics, and situational or contextual factors. In the current study, we assessed the temporal relationship between daily alcohol consumption and unprotected sexual behavior, taking into account sexual partner type (casual or known) as well as individual and situational characteristics among a group of young female bar drinkers. Greater alcohol consumption was not associated with unprotected sex. However, greater alcohol consumption was associated with an increase in sex (protected and unprotected) with casual partners. Having less HIV knowledge was associated with increased unprotected sex, while greater frequency of drinking in bars was associated with increased protected sex with casual partners. These findings are discussed in terms of possible prevention programs that increase HIV knowledge and decrease alcohol consumption to reduce young women’s risky sexual behavior.