The impact of new antiretroviral treatments on college students' intention to use a condom with a new sexual partner.

The aim of this study was to evaluate possible changes in predisposing factors in sexual preventive behaviors that could result from the availability of an efficient new antiretroviral therapy. A total of 136 young adults were randomly assigned a vignette to read describing AIDS as a lethal or chronic disease. After reading the vignette, the participants completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing the psychosocial determinants of intention to use a condom with a new sexual partner. The variables were measured according to Ajzen's (1985, 1988, 1991) theory of planned behavior and Triandis's (1977) theory of interpersonal behavior. The experimental manipulation was more successful when the disease was described as lethal (66 of the 68 subjects) rather than chronic (30 of the 68 subjects). For the 96 participants who correctly identified the expected outcome of the disease presented in the vignette, a significant difference in intention was found between the two experimental situations (p < .05). Regression of intention to use condoms on the psychosocial variables yielded an adjusted R2 of .62. Perceived behavioral control, social norms, personal normative belief and anticipated affective reaction were the significant variables explaining this intention. The results suggest that intention to use condoms with a new sexual partner is likely to be modified by the expected outcome of the disease, that is, whether lethal or chronic. Thus, it is suggested that interventions aimed at young adults take into account the impacts the new antiretroviral treatments are likely to have on preventive behaviors.