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    Study Shows Penis Size Affects Condom Usage Among Gay Men

    A new study from Hunter College’s Center for HIV Educational Studies and Training determined there is a correlation between the size of a gay man's penis and the likelihood he'll use a condom.

    Hunter College wanted to determine if “the comfort and fit of condoms have an impact on safer sex among gay and bisexual men.” According to their findings, the larger the man's penis size, the higher the rate of condom failure.

    The study suggests that the “one-size-fits-all approach to condom distribution” might be doing more harm than good by “inadvertently creating a group of men [who are] engaging in unprotected sex due to problems with condom fit.”

    Results of a self-reported study of 500 nearly gay men show:

    • Nearly half of men reported condom slippage during sex.
    • Almost one-third reported condom breakage in the past three months.
    • Some reported they had unprotected sex because they could not find condoms that comfortably fit their size.
    • 40% reported that they did not have a problem finding condoms that fit properly.

    Many cities, such as New York City, London, and Washington, D.C., already distribute free condoms at many gay bars and clubs. However, Dr. Christian Grov, the study’s lead author, suggests that taking an additional step of providing larger sizes might be the key in protecting sexually active men who may otherwise go home empty-handed.

    The final results of the study will be published in the February 2013 issue of Archives of Sexual Behavior.