AIDS-related beliefs, attitudes and intentions among Malawian students in three secondary schools.
This preliminary investigation into factors influencing the intention of Malawian secondary school students to engage in low-risk AIDS-related behaviours was based on the Theory of Reasoned Action (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1980). A total of 191 male and female subjects (mean age 19.32) from three secondary schools in Malawi filled in a questionnaire that sought to elicit their intention to use condoms and to stick to the one same sexual partner. The study lent support to the theory that intention can be predicted from attitudes and subjective norms, F(2,186) = 31.93, p < 0.001 for condom use and F(2, 187) = 15.23, p < 0.001 for sticking to one sexual partner. The results showed that, for the subjects, the intention to comply with these two behavioural regimens was predominantly under attitudinal control though one sub-sample's intention was under normative influence. The study also provided quantitative data on the sexual behavioural patterns of the subjects and used these data to furnish explanations of the main findings. Behavioural change intervention strategies in the light of the findings are discussed.
Bandawe
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Department of Community Health, College of Medicine, University of Malawi, Rondebosch, South Africa.
Foster
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D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008295:Malawi; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D018881:Suburban Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014504:Urban Health