The first two columns (A and B) relate to a 2004 telephone survey of heterosexuals under 35 conducted by the US Association for Social Health. It found that 47 per cent of respondents ‘sometimes or never’ used condoms for vaginal sex. It also found that of the approximately seven per cent of heterosexuals that said they had anal sex, an even higher proportion did not use condoms – some 65 per cent.

This prides an interesting insight into the under-researched world of heterosexual anal sex and condom use. Firstly, the figure for vaginal sex is quite close to the figures for UK gay men when it comes to consistent condom use for sexual intercourse. Secondly, it shows that a minority sexual behaviour which is in fact a higher HIV transmission risk can result in lower condom usage if HIV prevention messages do not acknowledge that risk. A similar survey from South Africa also found that among the minority of heterosexuals who had anal sex, condom use was lower (though of course, this may be because the kind of people who have anal sex may also be the kind of people who don’t like condoms).

Thirdly, it also sheds light on to how cautious one needs to be in interpreting condom usage results. The only other survey ever done among US adults in the general population (Erickson 1995) found similar rates for anal intercourse but found that condom use in anal sex was 60 per cent.