The Health Belief Model and its Predictability for Risky Sexual Experience in Women of Reproductive Age in Kisumu City

Obondo AO

Published on: 2021-08-28

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to test the constructs of the HBM that can be used to mitigate HIV infection among women of reproductive age. The target population was women who had undergone HIV testing in Health Facilities in Kisumu East district within the last 12 months prior to the initiation of this study or those recruited on exit after undergoing the test. The study used case control study designs in which the cases were women who tested positive while controls were those who tested negative. Quantitative data was collected using close ended questionnaires univariate and multivariate regression analysis used to test the constructs of the Health Belief Model. Constructs found to have significant causal relationship with HIV infection were perceived barriers and perceived benefits of condom use. The study concluded that among all the constructs of the HBM model only two of them perceived barriers and perceived benefits may contribute to adoption of condom use in HIV prevention and should be incorporated in health education programs.