Women's protective sexual behaviors: a test of the health belief model
Gielen, A.C.; Faden, R.R.; O'Campo, P.; Kass, N.; Anderson, J.
Aids Education and Prevention Official Publication of the International Society for Aids Education 6(1): 1-11
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 0899-9546 PMID: 8024939 Document Number: 277394
The health belief structures that distinguish women who use condoms to protect themselves from themselves from the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and those who fail to take protective measures were investigated in a survey of 573 heterosexual women enrolled during their first prenatal visit to the Johns Hopkins Hospital Obstetrical Clinic. 90% of study subjects were African Americans, only 11% were currently married, and 65% were under 25 years of age. The proportions of respondents who had adopted any of the following 6 protective measures in the past year due to a fear of getting acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was the following: had fewer sexual partners (62%), had sex less often (48%), talked with a sex partner about AIDS (72%), decided to refuse sex because of concern a partner might be HIV-positive (47%), used condoms (49%), and carried condoms (48%). On the basis of the Health Belief Model of Janz and Becker, respondents were then questioned on their perceptions of susceptibility to AIDS, severity of the disease, barriers to condom use, and benefits of protected sex. Their mean scores on the preceding subscales, out of a maximum of 5.0, were 3.19, 4.08, 2.18, and 3.75, respectively. After adjusting for demographic factors and number of high-risk life-style practices, multiple regression analysis was used to determine the importance of these health beliefs to protective sexual behaviors. Beliefs about susceptibility and barriers emerged as the most significant correlates and were associated with having sex less often, deciding not to have sex, and carrying condoms. Condom use in the past year was correlated with beliefs about susceptibility, severity, and barriers. Overall, the findings suggest that women are motivated by feelings of personal susceptibility to try protective behaviors, but then conclude they are burdensome and discontinue.