APPLICATION OF A MODIFIED HEALTH BELIEF MODEL TO HIV PREVENTIVE BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS AMONG GAY AND BISEXUAL MEN

The utility of a modified health belief model (Janz and Pecker, 1984) for predicting the intention to use condoms was tested in a study amon g gay and bisexual men. The model explained a reasonable amount of var iance. It was found that younger men's decision to have safe sex was g uided by factors other than those that influenced older men. Among you nger men, the intention to use a condom was positively related to the relative number of persons with AIDS in their social environment (cues to action) and to the perceived benefits of HIV preventive behavior. Among older men, this behavioral intention was much more determined by their perception of the prevalence of HIV and by their perception of their vulnerability to HIV infection. These findings are important bec ause they may partly explain the recent increase in AIDS-risk behavior among young gay and bisexual men. The discussion focuses on these fin dings and on the implications for interventions aimed at promoting saf e sex.