Male-to-female transgender (waria) individuals are at high risk for HIV. This
study aims at mapping the psychological determinants of four HIV-related
health-seeking behaviors. This knowledge can be used to develop effective
interventions to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The study involved 209 waria from
five districts in Jakarta, selected with a cluster sampling procedure.
Cross-sectional data were gathered through structured interviews. The four
examined behaviors are, visiting sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
services regularly, adherence to STI treatment, taking an HIV test and picking
up the result of HIV test. For all four behaviors, specific measures of the
psychological determinants as defined by the Theory of Planned Behavior were
developed: attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC).
Logistic regression analyses were conducted with these three psychological
measures as independent variables and the behaviors as dependent variables.
Of the 209 waria, 20.6 %
had never visited STI services in the last 6 months, while 56.5 % had
visited the services once or twice, and 23 % had visited the service three
or more times. A HIV test had been taken by 90.4 % of the waria, and of
those, 64.6 % had picked up the results. About 85 % of the waria who did a HIV test had been tested for HIV one
or two times in the last 6 months and 10 % had been tested three to four
times. The variance in behaviors that was explained by the concepts defined in
the Theory of Planned Behavior ranged from 15 to 70 %; PBC was the most
powerful predictor. Furthermore, the results showed that in several cases the
relationships of attitudes or subjective norms with the dependent variable were
mediated by one or both other independent variables.
The results regarding the prominent role of PBC suggest that
interventions should increase waria’s control over the behavior: Engaging in
specific desired behaviors should be made easier for them. Besides, waria’s attitudes
and subjective norms should be addressed, by education, but possibly also by
providing waria with
a positive experience with the behavior, for example, by designing a
professional and friendly health care system.
Full article at: http://goo.gl/7X00Af
1Social Psychology Department, Faculty of
Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1
9712 TS, Groningen, The Netherlands
2Population Studies and Biostatistic
Department, Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia, Kampus UI, Depok
16424, West Java, Indonesia
3Faculty of Psychology, University of
Indonesia, Kampus UI, Depok 16424, West Java, Indonesia
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