Theory-Based Predictors of Condom Use among University Students in the United States and South Africa

• Published in: AIDS education and prevention 2007-02, Vol.19 (1), p.1-12
• Main Authors: Heeren, G. Anita, Jemmott, John B., III, Mandeya, Andrew, Tyler, Joanne C
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS); Adolescent; Adult; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Attitude to Health - ethnology; Attitudes; Behavioral Research; Biological and medical sciences; College Students; Comparative Analysis; Condoms; Condoms - utilization; Contraception; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Disease transmission; Educational Attainment; Epidemiology. Vaccinations; Female; Foreign Countries; General aspects; Guidelines; Harm Reduction; Health Behavior; HIV; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - ethnology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Incidence; Infectious diseases; Intention; Intervention; Male; Medical sciences; Multiple Regression Analysis; Pennsylvania - epidemiology; Planning; Questionnaires; Regression Analysis; Risk; Self Efficacy; Sexual behavior; Sexual Behavior - ethnology; Sexual behaviour; Sexuality; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - ethnology; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - prevention & control; Social Values - ethnology; South Africa; South Africa - epidemiology; Statistical Data; STD; Student Attitudes; Students; Students - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teenagers; U.S.A; Undergraduate Students; United States; United States of America; Universities
• ISSN: 0899-9546; 1943-2755
• DOI: 10.1521/aeap.2007.19.1.1

This study compared the predictive value of the theory of planned behavior in university students in South Africa (N = 251) and the United States (N = 160) who completed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses revealed that condom use and intention were significantly predicted by positive condom attitude, subjective norm, self-efficacy, and attending university in South Africa. Significant interactions between country and predictors indicated that subjective norm predicted condom use and intention more strongly in the American sample than in the South African sample; attitude predicted intention more strongly in the American sample than in the South African sample; but self-efficacy predicted intention more strongly in the South African sample than in the American sample. The theory of planned behavior may provide a useful framework for interventions to reduce South African students' risk of HIV/and sexuality transmitted diseases. Such interventions should especially focus on building self-efficacy to use condoms.