DOES THE HEALTH BELIEF MODEL PREDICT RISKY SEXUAL PRACTICES IN INJECTION-DRUG USERS

The current research assessed Health Belief Model (HEM) constructs, se xual behaviour, and drug use practices in 123 heterosexual IDUs (62 me n and 61 women) who were seronegative for HIV. Results indicated that HBM variables significantly explained 25% of the variance in condom us age in IDU men. Higher reports of condom usage were associated with ne gative attitudes related to condom discomfort, inconvenience, and acce ptance; positive attitudes related to perceptions of condoms as adding excitement to sex; positive attitudes regarding condom efficacy and l ower perceived susceptibility for AIDS. Alcohol, marijuana, and methad one usage explained an additional 21% of the variance in condom usage with alcohol use contributing positively to condom use while the other substances had negative contributions. HBM constructs did not signifi cantly explain the variance in other risk behaviours in this group, ho wever, control variables contributed to significant proportions of the variance in risky practices. HBM components did not significantly exp lain any of the variance in the sexual behaviours of IDU women, but de mographic variables and substance use behaviours contributed to the va riance in a number of sexual practices in this group. Based upon these findings, implications for clinical intervention are discussed.