Perceptions And Risk: The Role of Education, Body Image, Partner Availability, And Condom Negotiation on Educated Black Women’s Sexual Risk-Taking Behaviors

Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are at an “all-time high” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2021; Kreisel et al., 2021; Merman, 2021), and disproportionately impact women of color. Understanding the factors that coalesce to create elevated risk for Black women is critical for more effective prevention/intervention to reduce risks and negative health outcomes. This study extended previous research by examining the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the mediating/moderating influence of psychosocial factors (i.e., self-perceptions, perceived partner availability, and self-efficacy for condom negotiation) on sexual-risk decision making (i.e., condom use) in Black women during emerging adulthood. The TPB model demonstrated a good fit within the whole sample and the sample of highly educated Black women, with attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control predicting condom intentions and intentions predicting condom use. Perceived partner availability significantly differed among the groups but was not a mediator or moderator in the TPB model. The findings from this study help identify patterns that may differentially impact self-protective behaviors in sexual encounters to promote prevention/intervention to reduce high rates of STIs in minority women.

Major Professor: Dr. Leslie Frazier