Psychosocial factors associated with the stages of change for condom use among women at risk for HIV and STDs: implications for intervention development.

ABSTRACT

PIP: This cross-sectional study examines the prevalence of consistent condom use among inner-city women at risk for HIV and measured the distribution of these women across the stages of change for condom use. It further determined the psychosocial factors that could be used by program planners to design interventions for these women in different stages of change. The study sample was composed of women aged 15-34 years who were mostly African-Americans (79%). In the results, only 18% reported consistent condom use with main partners and 45% with other partners. The results further indicated that women who practice or intend to practice consistent condom use were more likely to talk with others about condoms, acknowledge the advantages of condoms, have higher self-efficacy for condom use, and state that people important to them favored condom use.