Exposure to HIV/AIDS-Related Media Content and HIV Testing Intention: Applying the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction

Abstract

Despite considerable evidence of an association between mass communication efforts and HIV testing behavior, the mechanisms through which this association may be established have been less extensively studied. Drawing on the integrative model of behavioral prediction, this study assessed the relationship between exposure to HIV=AIDS-related media content, individual intention to be tested for HIV, and the psychosocial variables mediating the relationship among 986 urban and rural residents of northwest Ethiopia. Structural equation modeling revealed that the relationship between exposure to HIV=AIDS-related media content and HIV testing intention was partially mediated by the three psychosocial variables associated with the integrative model (attitude, normative, and self-efficacy beliefs). However, whereas exposure to HIV=AIDS media content was found to be associated most substantially with attitudes toward HIV testing, intention to be tested was found mainly to be influenced by normative beliefs, which suggests that there is a possible mismatch between mass media programming and the prevailing psychosocial processes within the study Mesfin Awoke Bekalu (Ph.D., KU Leuven, 2014) is a postdoctoral fellow in the School for Mass Communication Research at KU Leuven. His research interests include health communication and mass media campaigns.

Media Exposure, Behavioural Risk Factors and HIV Testing among Women of Reproductive Age in Papua New Guinea: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…The perception of risk related to safe sex might have contributed to the strong association of condom use with HIV testing observed in our study, though we observed no association of knowledge of HIV with HIV testing behaviour even when the variables were adjusted. This might suggest that the media may have a greater impact by adjusting societal norms and reducing barriers to testing rather than by educating people about HIV transmission [30]. This finding was also similar to our observation in the present study.…”

“…A total of 15,198 women of reproductive age were included in this study. The median (IQR) age at the time of the study was 28 (21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37) years, that at first sex 18 (16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21) years and that at first cohabitation 19 (17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22) years. The majority of the women were Christian (99.0%), and 95.3% had never used condoms.…”

Risk perception and COVID-19 preventive behaviors: application of the integrative model of behavioral prediction

“…For example, attitudes might have a stronger association with intentions to use condoms compared to perceived norms (Albarracín et al, 2001). However, perceived norms might have a stronger association with intentions test for HIV compared to attitudes and self-efficacy (Bekalu & Eggermont, 2014). Thus, to change a specific behavior, practitioners should identify and target the most influential factors among attitudes, perceived norms, and self-efficacy (Fishbein & Ajzen, 2011).…”

The Dual Role of Media Internalization in Adolescent Sexual Behavior

“…User-defined estimands (Arbuckle, 2013) were created to calculate the individual indirect impact of the supportive and inhibitory pathway, respectively. A 95% biascorrected bootstrap confidence interval was used to test the significance levels (e.g., Bekalu & Eggermont, 2015). Consistent with the study prediction of an inhibitory pathway, body surveillance and sexual body consciousness (Wave 2 variables) emerged as mediators of the relationship between media internalization at Wave 1 and lower levels of sexual behavior at Wave 3 (-.001 = .07 9 .15 9 -.15; p = .03).…”