Gender roles, power strategies, and precautionary sexual self-efficacy: Implications for Black and Latina women's HIV/AIDS protective behaviors

This cross-sectional study tested a conceptual model of women's HIV/AIDS pr otective behaviors using gender roles, relationship power strategies, and p recautionary sexual self-efficacy as predictors in a predominantly Black an d Latins community sample of heterosexual women (N = 125). Results revealed no support for the full model, but partial confirmation for several compon ents of the model. Education significantly predicted gender roles, and gend er roles and use of direct power strategies were significant predictors of sexual self-efficacy. Most of the participants were married or partnered an d were unconcerned about contracting NN, suggesting that if women perceive that they are at low or no risk their gender roles, power strategies, and p recautionary sexual self-efficacy will be inconsequential to their HIV AIDS risk reduction practices.