University of South Africa.
Afr Health Sci. 2021 Jun;21(2):538-546. doi: 10.4314/ahs.v21i2.8.
Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) increase the risk of contracting Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Hence, early screening and treatment of STIs as a behavioral practice will reduce the odds of HIV infection among at risk and vulnerable sub-populations. To that end, HIV prevention strategies need to design evidence-based interventions using behavioral models or theories to help at-risk individuals adopt early screening and treatment of STI as preventive health behavior. In this study, commercial sex workers were considered as HIV at-risk sub-populations.
Measuring to what extent that Integrated Behavioral Model constructs explain individuals' intention to practice early screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections as healthy behavior of interest in HIV prevention.
Integrated Behavioral Model (IBM) measurement survey was conducted using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) in six towns located in the main transport corridors of Ethiopia. Respondents' answers to model construct-based questions and intention to practice the health behavior of interest were measured using Likert Scale. Analysis was done to assess the correlation and level of association of model construct-based questions with intention to practice the preventive health behavior.
Respondents' attitude explained 32%, perceived control 2%, normative influence 21%, and self-efficacy 53 % of their intention to get early screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
Self-efficacy explained the variability of respondents' intention to get early screening and treatment of STIs most, while perceived control was the least. Hence, HIV prevention behavioral interventions targeting early screening and treatment of STIs should give high emphasis to self-efficacy.
性传播感染（STIs）会增加感染人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）的风险。因此，作为一种行为实践，早期筛查和治疗 STIs 将降低高危和脆弱亚人群感染 HIV 的几率。为此，HIV 预防策略需要使用行为模型或理论设计基于证据的干预措施，以帮助高危个体将 STI 的早期筛查和治疗作为预防保健行为。在这项研究中，性工作者被视为 HIV 的高危亚人群。
衡量综合行为模型结构在多大程度上解释个体将早期筛查和治疗性传播感染作为 HIV 预防中感兴趣的健康行为的意向。
采用 respondent driven sampling (RDS) 在埃塞俄比亚主要交通走廊的六个城镇进行综合行为模型（IBM）测量调查。使用李克特量表测量基于模型结构的问题和对健康行为的意向。分析旨在评估基于模型结构的问题与实践预防保健行为意向之间的相关性和关联程度。
受访者的态度解释了他们进行早期性传播感染筛查和治疗的意向的 32%，感知控制解释了 2%，规范影响解释了 21%，自我效能解释了 53%。
自我效能最能解释受访者进行早期性传播感染筛查和治疗的意向的可变性，而感知控制则是最不重要的。因此，针对早期筛查和治疗 STIs 的 HIV 预防行为干预措施应高度重视自我效能。
