Predictors of condom use among young women: AIDS-related knowledge, AIDS vulnerability, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, contraceptive choice, risk behaviors

The purpose of the research study was to test a model of predictors of condom use among young women. Specifically, relationships between AIDS-related knowledge, AIDS vulnerability, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, contraceptive choice, risk behaviors and condom use were examined.

A predictive, correlational research design was used to test the hypotheses. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale (Radloff, 1977), the AIDS-related Knowledge and Attitudes Scale (Flaskerud and Nyamathi, 1989), and the General Information Questionnaire were used to collect data.

The study sample consisted of 178 sexually active young women who presented at a family planning clinic for contraceptive purposes or treatment of sexually transmitted diseases and from a rural hospital maternity unit. The mean age was 20.5 years. The young women completed the questionnaires after being informed verbally and in writing about the purpose and the voluntary nature of the study.

Pearson's product moment correlation was used to analyze the proposed relationships. Crosstabulation tables and chi-square analysis were used to analyze the relationship between condom use and demographic variables, contraceptive choice and risk behaviors. Logistic regression was used to estimate the probability of variables being different between women who were married and those who were not. Logistic regression was also used to determine the power of AIDS-related knowledge, AIDS vulnerability, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, risk behaviors, contraceptive choice, and demographic data in predicting condom use. Relationships were found between age, AIDS vulnerability, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and risk behaviors. AIDS-related knowledge, AIDS vulnerability, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, oral contraceptive use, and risk variables differed between women who were married and those who were not. Income and the use of oral contraceptives were the only two variables found to predict condom use in either group. Additional findings showed significant relationships between risk behaviors and condom use, and between risk behaviors, demographic variables, AIDS vulnerability and depressive symptoms.

The conclusions drawn from the study were that AIDS-related knowledge is not enough to change risk behavior, risk behavior and condom use have little affect on women's feelings of AIDS vulnerability and that depressive symptoms and self-esteem women's feelings of AIDS vulnerability. Depressive symptoms and self-esteem have strong relationships with risk behaviors and should be further investigated.