Condom negotiation self-efficacy and preparatory behaviors among Mozambican women at sexual risk

Abstract

Abstract Background Preparatory behaviors (intention to use and buy/get condoms) are extremely important for sexual protection among African women, because the intentions to use and get condoms are the best predictors of effective condom use in some African contexts. However, these preventive behaviors are not as successful as desired, because they are often associated with negative meanings in the context of the sexual relationship. This study aims to identify whether condom negotiation self-efficacy is associated with sexual preparatory behaviors among Mozambican women at risk for HIV/AIDS infection. Methods Women (173), patients at a public Hospital and at risk for HIV infection, completed measures of sociodemographic and marital characteristics, condom negotiation self-efficacy, and sexual preparatory behaviors. Results Socio-demographic variables (age and education) explained 16.1% of variance (ΔF(2, 170)=16.30, p <.001), and marital variables, “marital status” and “talking about AIDS with partner” explained 22.3% of additional variance (ΔF(2, 168)=30.36, p <.001) in preparatory behaviors. The final model with condom negotiation self-efficacy explained 11.7% of additional variance (ΔF(1, 167)= 39.14, p <.001), this being the most important correlate in the model (β = .48). We observed that higher condom negotiation self-efficacy is associated with higher levels of preparatory behaviors. The overall model explained 48.6% of variance in sexual preparatory behaviors. Conclusions These results seem to support an exploratory predictive model of sexual preparatory behaviors that can inform interventions directed at behavioral change among Mozambican women at sexual risk. Key messages Women who were younger, had a higher level of education, were single, and talked about AIDS, had higher levels of preparatory behaviors. Women who had a higher level of condom negotiation self-efficacy, had higher levels of preparatory behaviors.