HIV Risk in Women: A Multifaceted Model

Document Type

Article

Date of Original Version

1-1-1993

Abstract

A comprehensive model was designed to predict risky, HIV‐related sex in women from a set of behavioral, interpersonal, and psychoattitudinal measures. Survey measures were administered to two university samples of 234 and 263 women. Three sets of dependent measures assessed Partner‐Related HIV Risk, Unprotected Vaginal Intercourse, and Anal Intercourse. There were three multifaceted sets of independent variables that involved 12 factors. The first set, behavioral risk, involved (a) Social Substance Use, (b) Hard Substance Use, (c) Foreplay Sexual Experience, and (d) Advanced Sexual Experience. The second set, interpersonal risk, examined (a) Victimization, (b) Anticipated Partner Reaction, (c) Birth Control Sexual Assertiveness, (d) Refusal Sexual Assertiveness, and (e) Initiation Sexual Assertiveness. The third set, psychoattitudinal risk, involved (a) Psychosocial Functioning, (b) Psychosexual Attitudes, and (c) Self‐Efficacy for AIDS Prevention. Substantial variance was explained using structural modeling methods, with the strongest prediction involving behavioral and interpersonal HIV risk factors. Psychoattitudinal factors were less central, although still important. The results supported and extended previous findings and suggested that the biggest HIV risk factors for women include: greater social substance use, greater sexual experience, anticipated or actual victimization, low assertiveness about requesting birth control, overly positive psychosocial attitudes, negative attitudes about sexuality, and less self‐efficacy about avoiding HIV risk. Copyright © 1993, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved

Publication Title, e.g., Journal

Journal of Applied Biobehavioral Research

Volume

1

Issue

1

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