title: Brief report on ecological momentary assessment: everyday states predict HIV prevention behaviors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prevention behaviors help persons living with HIV (PLWH) to avoid transmitting HIV, and psychological variables have been found to predict HIV prevention behaviors. These variables have typically been measured using retrospective questionnaires about average psychological states over a period of time, which are likely to be biased by selective recall and interpretation. Measuring the same variables as momentary states, in the day-to-day context where they actually occur, may reveal different relationships to behavior.
  
  
  RESULTS
  21 PLWH completed daily surveys about momentary states and prevention behaviors. Brief, validated measures were used to assess control beliefs, mood, stress, coping, social support, stigma, knowledge, and motivation. We used multilevel models to predict prevention behaviors from momentary states the previous day, while controlling for the effect of multiple observations from the same person over time. Participants reported a moderate overall level of HIV prevention behaviors during the 6-month study. Although lapses in prevention were infrequent, there was room for improvement. Control beliefs, mood, and motivation had significant prospective effects on HIV prevention behaviors, rs = 0.07-0.21. Stress and coping had effects approaching significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some momentary states predicted prevention behaviors, providing partial support for the motivational model. This finding supports past research showing effects of momentary states on behavior, and advances the science by testing multiple predictors. High within-sample diversity strengthened generalizability, but the overall sample size was small and the findings require replication. Future research should continue to examine the everyday experiences of PLWH as influences on their behavior.
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado College of Nursing, Campus Box C288-04, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. paul.cook@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado College of Nursing, Campus Box C288-04, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. catherine.mcelwain@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: McElwain
authors.affiliation: University of Colorado School of Medicine, 12631 E. 17th Ave., Mail Stop 8204, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA. lucy.bradley-springer@ucdenver.edu.
authors.forename: Lucy A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bradley-Springer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001519:Behavior; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D057566:Self Report