Sexual risk behavior among urban women of childbearing age: implications for clinical practice.
Cox's interaction model of client health behavior was used as an organizing framework to describe the demographic characteristics, motivation, problem-solving, self-esteem, and sexual risk behaviors among urban women of childbearing age (N = 125; average age = 32 years). Eighty-five percent of the women were African American. Sexual risk behaviors were defined as more than one sex partner and not using a condom. Eight women were at the highest risk in that they reported having more than one sex partner and not using condoms. Participants reported low self-esteem, intrinsic motivation, and adequate problem-solving abilities. Motivation scores were significantly different based on number of sex partners (t = 2.26, p = .03). Women with more than one partner had lower scores compared to women with only one partner. There was a significant variation in reported self-esteem among women who used condoms (t = 2.36; p = .22). Women who did not use condoms reported lower self-esteem than women who said that they used condoms.
Abel
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E
School of Nursing, University of Texas at Austin 78701, USA.
Hilton
P
P
Miller
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I
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D016294:Models, Nursing; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D009722:Nurse Practitioners; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*