Correlates of Condom Negotiation Intent The Case of Jimma University Undergraduates

Abstract

The study attempted to assess the relationship between condom communication variablesand intention to negotiate condom use. Using structured questionnaire and FGDs, theinvestigator gathered data from 378 randomly selected and 25 discussants that wereselected through snowball sampling respectively, from Jimma University undergraduates.Multiple regressions and content analysis were used to analyze the survey and thequalitative data respectively. The analyses indicated significant association betweencondom communication variables and intention to negotiate condom use. TPB’s (Theoryof planned behavior) original predictor variables jointly explained 30% variance on thedependent variable. Regression analyses showed that students’ attitude towardsdiscussing condom use and condom communication self-efficacy uniquely predictedintention to negotiate condom use. Further, ‘verbal condom negotiation strategies’ and‘giving great value to life and health’, which have been developed from the qualitativedata, significantly predicted intention to negotiate condom use, contributing a further13.8 % over and above TPB’s original predictor variables. The study concluded thatintention to negotiate condom use is dependent on ‘attitude towards discussing condomuse, condom communication self-efficacy, giving great value to life and health, andverbal condom negotiation strategies. The study recommends programs that foster safersex in college context to emphasize these variables, in participatory manner where targetgroups are encouraged to discuss openly, to develop their communication abilities, toappreciate their life and health, and to enhance their use of condom negotiation strategies.Furthermore, the study recommends more research on prevailing discourses ofHIV/AIDS and sexuality on college students.