Abstract
The utility of a modified health belief model (Janz and Becker, 1984) for predicting the intention to use condoms was tested in a study among gay and bisexual men. The model explained a reasonable amount of variance. It was found that younger men's decision to have safe sex was guided by factors other than those that influenced older men. Among younger men, the intention to use a condom was positively related to the relative number of persons with AIDS in their social environment (cues to action) and to the perceived benefits of HIV preventive behavior. Among older men, this behavioral intention was much more determined by their of the prevalence of HIV and by their perception of their vulnerability to HIV infection. These findings are important because they may partly explain the recent increase in AIDS-risk behavior among young gay and bisexual men. The discussion focuses on these findings and on the implications for interventions aimed at promoting safe sex.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 481-492 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Psychology and Health |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1997 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- AIDS prevention
- Gay and bisexual men
- Health belief model
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Applied Psychology
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
