DETERMINANTS OF INTENTIONS TO ENGAGE IN HIV-RELATED SEXUAL RISK BEHAVIOR AMONG THAI ADOLESCENT MALES (BOYS).
Contributors: University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 138
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Public Health.
Description: Many Thai adolescent males engage in unprotected sexual behavior that places them at high risk for HIV infection. Prevention of HIV infection among these adolescents is crucial. HIV preventive interventions can be appropriately developed based on information about factors influencing adolescents' decision to engage in HIV-related sexual risk behavior. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the determinants of intentions to engage in HIV-related sexual risk behavior, specifically nonuse of condoms, among Thai adolescent males. The Theory of Reasoned Action, Elkind's personal fable, and Bentler and Speckart's model were used as the framework for this study.

Subjects were 306 randomly selected sexually experienced male students aged 14-21 attending a major public vocational school in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Five questionnaires--Demographic Data Sheet, Sexual Risk Behavior Scale, Theory of Reasoned Action Scale of Nonuse of Condoms, Personal Fable Scale, and HIV Knowledge Scale--were used for data collection. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and path analyses.

Findings demonstrated a high prevalence of nonuse of condoms with nonprostitute females (98.7%) and a lower prevalence of nonuse of condoms with prostitute females (35.2%). Intentions not to use condoms with nonprostitute females were significantly predicted by attitudes toward nonuse of condoms and subjective norms about not using condoms with nonprostitute females (multiple R =.19, $p<.001$; $\beta\sb\□rm att=□0.221$ and $\beta\sb\□rm sn=□0.217,\ p<.001$). Intentions not to use condoms with prostitute females were significantly predicted by attitudes toward nonuse of condoms, personal fable, and previous nonuse of condoms with prostitute females (multiple R =.62, $p<.001;\ \beta\sb\□rm att=□0.346,\ p<.001;\ \beta\sb\□rm pf=□0.213,\ p<.01;\ \beta\sb\□rm ncd=□0.0157,\ p<.05$).

The findings provide important implications for (a) nursing research to develop appropriate interventions for AIDS prevention in Thai adolescent males; (b) nursing practice to use the finding in preventing HIV infection among Thai adolescent males in ambulatory and acute care settings, especially in the schools; and (c) nursing education to include knowledge and skills in adolescent sexual practice, history taking, and counseling into nursing curricula. Replication of the study with a more heterogeneous sample and qualitative research on factors influencing nonuse of condoms among Thai adolescents are recommended.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-02, Section: B, page: 0742.

Thesis (D.S.N.)--UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA AT BIRMINGHAM, 1994.

School code: 0005.