Psychology, Health and Medicine
Volume 22, Issue 5, 2017, Pages 611-617

Psychosocial determinants of intention to use condoms among Somali and Ethiopian immigrants in the U.S. (Article)

Ebrahim N.B.* , Davis S. , Tomaka J.
  • a Department of Public Health, Keimyung University, Daegu, South Korea
  • b Department of Surgery, Paul L Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech Health Center, El Paso, TX, United States
  • c Department of Public Health Sciences, College of Health and Social Services, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, United States

Abstract

The study examined potential psychosocial determinants of male condom use in steady heterosexual relationships among Somali and Ethiopian immigrants in Minnesota in two sequential phases: the elicitation (Phase I) and cross-sectional quantitative studies (Phase II). Information from Phase I was used to develop the instrument for Phase II. Study participants who self-identified as Somali and Ethiopian immigrants (n = 205) responded to questions on demographic characteristics, attitudes (affective and instrumental), norms (subject and descriptive), perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, and intention to use male condoms. Hierarchical regression models were used to assess the relationship between the main independent variables (attitude norms, perceived behavioral control, and self-efficacy, and the dependent variable, the intention to use male condoms. Overall, participants showed low intention and slightly favorable (affective and instrumental) attitudes toward condom use; had experienced weak, but positive social influence as measured by injunctive and descriptive norms. Moreover, study participants had shown slight perceived behavioral control, but had fairly moderate positive self-efficacy. The Theory of Planned Behavior was moderately effective in predicting condom use; however, the Integrated Behavioral Model, explained nearly 40% of the variations in the intention to use male condoms. Among men, self-efficacy had the strongest influence (β =.44, p <.001) on behavioral intention. Among women, descriptive norms (β =.22, p <.05) exerted the strongest effect (model 3). Improving self-efficacy, specifically, among older men, and fostering desirable normative influence among women, are suggested as main components of public health interventions to promote condom use among Somali and Ethiopian immigrants. © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Author Keywords

immigrants Somali Psychosocial determinants Condom use Ethiopian HIV

Index Keywords

sexual behavior Safe Sex human condom Condoms Minnesota ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies Self Efficacy United States cross-sectional study migrant psychology attitude Humans male Emigrants and Immigrants female Behavior self concept Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Intention Ethiopia adult sex factor Sex Factors Somalia utilization attitude to health

Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84976271858&doi=10.1080%2f13548506.2016.1204463&partnerID=40&md5=2c1692905770befbcb2864a3e9fdba3e

DOI: 10.1080/13548506.2016.1204463
ISSN: 13548506
Original Language: English