Attitude towards condom use and HIV/AIDS knowledge as potential determinants of condom use self-efficacy among hispanic youths

Aims

HIV risk behaviors, modes of transmission and prevention have been described in Hispanic population but there are few studies that address inner city Hispanic youths. We aimed to examine the association between condom use self-efficacy, HIV/AIDS knowledge, as well as attitude towards condom use.

Methods

A cross sectional observational design was used to obtain information on socio-demographics, HIV knowledge, condom use attitude, and condom use self-efficacy in a sample of one hundred inner city Hispanic youths residing in Houston, Texas. A Chi square distribution was used to test the group differences, while logistic regression model was used to assess the association between condom use self-efficacy and the independent covariates.

Results

In the unadjusted uinvariable logistic regression model, there was a statistically significant association between condom use attitude and condom use self-efficacy, prevalence odds ratio (POR), 6.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.4–16.5. Likewise, there was a statistically significant association between HIV knowledge and condom use self-efficacy, POR, 3.4; 95% CI = 1.5–8.2. In the adjusted model, there was a statistically significant association between condom use attitude and condom use self-efficacy, adjusted prevalence odds ratio (APOR), 3.2, 95%; CI = 1.2–8.5. However there was no statistically significant association between HIV knowledge and condom use self-efficacy, p > 0.05.

Conclusion

In this sample of Hispanic youths, attitude toward condom use enhances condom use self-efficacy, whereas HIV knowledge does not predict condom use self-efficacy.