PSI

Authors: Marie-Claude Couture; Julio C. Soto; Edit Akom; Gerard Joseph; Maria-Victoria Zunzunegui

Abstract: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to examine factors influencingintention of condom use among 378 clients
of female sex workers (FSWs) visitingcommercial sex sites in St-Marc and Gonaives, Haiti. Mean age of the study participants was 24 years. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographic characteristics, behaviors, and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) constructs. Seventy-four percentage of clients reported havingused condoms with a FSW the last time they had had sexual intercourse. The majority (81.7%) firmly intended to use condoms duringthe next sexual encounter with a FSW. Multivariate logistic models revealed that subjective norms (odds ratio (OR)
1.75; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.062.88), perceived behavioral control (OR
1.34; 95% CI: 1.091.63) and attitudes (OR
1.23; 95% CI: 1.041.44) were predictors of intention to use condoms, with norms beingmore important. Clients having used condoms the last time they had a sexual intercourse with a FSW, were more likely to have the intention to use them in the future
(OR
3.17; 95% CI: 1.656.10), indicatingan adopted behavior. Lastly, havinghad a previous sexually transmitted infection was associated with intention, suggesting that a negative experience can influence a future behavior. In conclusion, intention to use condoms amongthe clients of Haitian FSWs was well predicted by TPB constructs. Our findings provide evidence for designing interventions targeted at reducing risky sex behaviors in this population.

Related content by category
Country: Haiti
Health Areas: HIV
Type: Published Journal Article