Factors associated with use of safer sex practices among college freshmen

Abstract

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the relationship of knowledge of AIDS, misconceptions about AIDS, knowledge of safer sex practices, perceived susceptibility, and future time perspective to the practice of safer sex behaviors in 352 single, sexually active, college freshmen. Data were analyzed using stepwise multiple regression analysis and discriminant analysis. There were too few black females for analysis. Future time perspective explained the most variance in safer sex practices for black males. Knowledge of AIDS, perceived susceptibility, misconceptions about AIDS, knowledge of safer sex practices, and future time perspective did not explain a significant amount of variance in use of safer sex practices for either white males or females. However, perceived susceptibility and future time perspective differentiated sexually active from nonsexually active white males and females.

Associations Among Health Behaviors and Time Perspective in Young Adults: Model Testing with Boot-Strapping Replication

“…Consistent with previous research (DiIorio et al, 1993;Rothspan & Read, 1996;Zimbardo et al, 1997), future time perspective proved to be a strong predictor of both risky and protective health behaviors, and its effects were fairly robust. That is, higher levels of future time perspective were associated with more exercise and condom use, and with more birth control use for females.…”

“…In general, this research indicates that individuals with a stronger future time perspective tend to report fewer risk behaviors, including less risky driving (Zimbardo et al, 1997), delayed onset of sexual activity with fewer number of sexual partners (Rothspan & Read, 1996), and less substance use (Wills et al, 2001). Moreover, future time perspective correlates positively with health protective behaviors such as condom use (DiIorio, Parsons, Lehr, Adame, & Carlone, 1993), exercise, and healthy eating (e.g., .Despite the consistent pattern of findings, confidence in the relationship between time perspective and health behavior is constrained by conceptual and methodological limitations. Conceptually, researchers have been inconsistent in defining time perspective.…”

“…Initially investigators used unreliable projective measures and clinical interviews (Lessing, 1972; Teahan, 1958); more recently, investigators have relied upon a poorly validated and unpublished measure (e.g., Kalichman et al, 1997;DiIorio et al, 1993;Lang & Carstensen, 2002;Yarcheski et al, 1997). Thus, inconsistent conceptual definitions and measurement constraints limit the validity and generalizability of much of the existing research on time perspective and health behaviors.…”

Reliability and Validity of the Reproductive Health Scale for Turkish Adolescents

“…8 For this re a son the use of newly de ve lo ped to ols with pro ven va lidity and re li a bi lity will be help ful in the de ve lopment of rep ro duc ti ve he alth and se xu al he alth edu ca ti o nal prog rams, in edu ca ti on pro vi ded in coun se ling cen ters, in re se arch, to re ach tar get groups. The re are va ri o us to ols which ha ve be en de ve lo ped in dif fe rent are as of rep ro duc ti ve health.…”

“…The re are va ri o us to ols which ha ve be en de ve lo ped in dif fe rent are as of rep ro duc ti ve health. [8][9][10][11][12] Ho we ver the re are no to ols ava i lab le to mea su re yo ung pe op le's at ti tu des abo ut rep ro duc ti ve he alth in Tur kish with es tab lis hed va li dity and reli a bi lity.…”