Condom fatigue is a term used by medical professionals and

safer sex In cryptography, SAFER (Secure And Fast Encryption Routine) is the name of a family of block ciphers designed primarily by James Massey (one of the designers of IDEA) on behalf of Cylink Corporation. The early SAFER K and SAFER SK designs share ...

educators to refer to the phenomenon of decreased

condom A condom is a sheath-shaped barrier device used during sexual intercourse to reduce the probability of pregnancy or a sexually transmitted infection (STI). There are both male and female condoms. With proper use—and use at every act of inte ...

use. It is related to decreased effectiveness of safer sex messages because people who realize the necessity of condoms still perpetuate the phenomenon. It is typically expressed as a frustration with the idea of a future filled with less

sexual pleasure Sexual stimulation is any stimulus (including bodily contact) that leads to, enhances and maintains sexual arousal, and may lead to orgasm. Although sexual arousal may arise without physical stimulation, achieving orgasm usually requires physi ...

due to the use of condoms. The term has particularly been used to describe

men who have sex with men Men who have sex with men (MSM) are male persons who engage in sexual activity with members of the same sex. The term was created in the 1990s by epidemiologists to study the spread of disease among all men who have sex with men, regardless of s ...

, though the term applies to people of all

gender Gender is the range of characteristics pertaining to femininity and masculinity and differentiating between them. Depending on the context, this may include sex-based social structures (i.e. gender roles) and gender identity. Most cultures us ...

s and

sexual orientation Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generally ...

s. Condom fatigue is linked to increased

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the immu ...

infection, as consistent condom use can significantly lower one's risk of transmitting or catching HIV. Condom fatigue is not a universal phenomenon. In Germany, condom use between new sexual partners has increased between 1994 and 2010 from 65% to 87%. That being said, it is seen in many different cultures in both the United States and other parts of the world.

Among gay men

Historically, gay men are most often the sufferers of condom fatigue. For gay men, condom fatigue can be linked to length of relationship, as men who have been practicing safer sex for longer time periods are more likely to present fatigue. Condom fatigue can also be related to fears about sex, in part due to condom use's constant link with

HIV/AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual ...

prevention. Because of this, some gay men favor biomedical treatments for HIV/AIDS over condoms. Condom fatigue is further related to the

HIV/AIDS epidemic The global epidemic of HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) began in 1981, and is an ongoing worldwide public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), as of 2021, HIV/AI ...

as not using a condom puts men who have sex with men at a higher risk of contracting the disease. Although condom fatigue is often cited as a reason for inconsistent condom use, it is not necessarily expressed as a complete disavowal of condoms. Many gay men continue to use them despite their fatigue. Rather, condom fatigue acts in combination with other factors of inconsistent condom use, such as the perception of lower sexual satisfaction when using a condom or thinking one is not at risk of

STIs The Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) is a spectrograph, also with a camera mode, installed on the Hubble Space Telescope. Aerospace engineer Bruce Woodgate of the Goddard Space Flight Center was the principal investigator and creator ...

Among heterosexuals

Condom fatigue also affects people in

heterosexual Heterosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction or sexual behavior between people of the opposite sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, heterosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" t ...

encounters. This has become more of an issue as the AIDS epidemic has spread from mainly affecting gay males to affecting women and heterosexual males at comparable or higher rates. In heterosexual relationships, the woman often relies on the man to provide condoms, making her condom use reliant on his willingness to use one and putting the brunt of the phenomenon on men. Despite this and other factors leading to women's lack of power in relationships, such as reliance on one's husband for basic necessities, women can also experience condom fatigue. Condom fatigue is especially prevalent in long-term couples who may believe that since they know their partner well they no longer need to worry about AIDS. This fatigue can be exacerbated by the desire to feel closer to one's partner during sex.

Examples

HIV infection is increasing at a rate of 12% annually among 13–24-year-old American men who have sex with men. Experts attribute this to " AIDS fatigue" among younger people who have no memory of the worst phase of the epidemic in the 1980s and early 1990s, as well as "condom fatigue" among those who have grown tired of and disillusioned with the unrelenting

message. The increase may also be because of new treatments.

References

External links

N.I.C.E article on HIV transmission and Condom fatigue
{{DEFAULTSORT:Condom Fatigue Public health education Sex education Condoms Sexual health