Abstract
The Health Belief Model posits that risk behavior is influenced by perceptions of susceptibility and severity of risk, as well as perceived benefits and barriers to risk reduction. This study replicated and extended earlier analyses (Neff & Crawford, 1998), which found racial/ethnic differences in relationships between Health Belief Model variables and HIV risk behaviors. In the 1998 analysis, negative paths between susceptibility and risk behaviors among African-American males were interpreted as “denial” of HIV risk. In the replication a self-report of number of sex partners served as a measure of HIV risk rather than the composite risk measure used previously. Analyses using this alternative risk measure do not indicate “denial” of risk. Susceptibility was positively related to number of partners in all racial groups. Indirect effects of susceptibility upon number of partners via alcohol disinhibition effects were found only among Mexican-Americans, suggesting interventions should emphasize individual risk perceptions and alcohol expectancies. Understanding these relationships between race/ethnicity and HIV risk behaviors may help design culturally specific intervention and service programs.
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