[From condom use to prevention of STD/AIDS].

Men s attitudes were investigated regarding the condom use in heterosexual intercourse. The study was characterized as secondary analysis of part of wider research aiming to understand power in heterosexual intercourse from the man s perspective. The secondary analysis proposed to analyze research data obtained and analyzed in a previous study to answer questions other than those contained in the original study. Ten men from west Santa Catarina took part in the original study; for the present study the data of participant identification, the group discussion and the interview of the original study were used. The data analysis comprised reading all the information, extracting common reports, grouping codes according to their nature; category formation. The results showed men s attitudes in the following categories: condom only to prevent pregnancy; condom with the wife denotes cheating; the condom should be used when 'out'; I have never used a condom; safe sex. In STD/AIDS prevention, aspects linked to beliefs, myths, health stereotypes and the characteristics of man-woman relationships become entwined.