Friday, December 21, 2012

CHEST Study Reveals Penis Size Linked To Condom Usage

While one researcher concedes the findings are "politically volatile," a recent study of gay men in New York City shows the larger a man's penis is, the less likely he is to use a condom, Pink News reports.

Researchers at Hunter College’s Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training (CHEST) culled responses to surveys of about 500 attendees at local community events. According to Queerty, some respondents in the survey said they had unprotected sex because they couldn't find the right condom fit, and just 40 percent said they were easily able to find condoms to suit their length and girth.

While larger-sized condoms are available in stores, the one-size-fits-all variety are more readily available -- and often free from health clinics in New York City, the study found.

The risky behavior revealed in the study's data appears to go against the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's long-held conclusion that "consistent and correct use of latex condoms is highly effective in preventing sexual transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS."

But the findings are in line with a 2009 Indiana University study indicating that men were more likely to have "negative attitudes" about condom use if they had penises that were bigger or smaller than average.

“This type of public health research is very important, no matter how politically volatile," Dr. Jeffrey Parsons, CHEST’s director, wrote on the organization's blog. He added that the findings would enable researchers to better meet the health needs of gay and bisexual men.

The study, "Self-reported penis size and experiences with condoms among gay and bisexual men," will be published in the February 2013 issue of Archives of Sexual Behavior.

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