Applying the theory of reasoned action to AIDS risk behavior: condom use among black women

This study tested hypotheses regarding attitudinal and normative influences on intentions to use condoms, a practice that would reduce women's risk of sexually transmitted HIV infection. Participants were 103 sexually active unmarried black women undergraduates at an inner-city commuter university, in an area with a high rate of reported AIDS cases among women. Consistent with the theory of reasoned action, multiple regression analysis on women's anonymous responses to a mailed survey revealed that those who registered more favorable attitudes toward condoms and those who perceived subjective norms more supportive of condom use reported firmer intentions to use condoms in the next three months. Key behavioral beliefs related to attitudes centered on the adverse effects of condom use on sexual enjoyment. Key normative influences were respondents' sexual partners and mothers. However, women's own attitudes were a stronger determinant of intentions to use condoms than were their perceptions of normative influences, particularly among women with above-average AIDS knowledge. The results suggest that the theory of reasoned action provides a potentially useful conceptual framework for interventions to change a key AIDS risk behavior among women.     

Predicting breast self-examination using the theory of reasoned action

The personal and normative influences on breast self-examination (BSE) behavior in older women were examined using the Theory of Reasoned Action. The sample consists of 93 volunteers ranging in age from 52 to 90 years. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Direct and indirect measures of attitude and social norm were used to predict intention to perform BSE and BSE frequency. Contrary to the model assumptions, indirect measures accounted for more variance in both intention and behavior, and explained actual behavior better than intention to perform. Both the indirect and direct measures of attitude and social norm explained a significant amount of the variance in intention and BSE frequency. There were significant differences on all the model components (direct and indirect measures of attitude, social norm, and intention) between frequent and infrequent BSE performance groups. Discriminant analysis using the indirect measures of attitude and social norm correctly classified 76% of the women into frequent and infrequent performance groups.     

Testing the theory of reasoned action in explaining sexual behavior among African American young teen girls

This study tested the Theory of Reasoned Action to examine the prediction of early sexual behavior among African American young teen girls. Baseline data from a longitudinal randomized clinical trial were used. Between 2001 and 2005, 198 middle-school girls aged 11 to 14 years were recruited. As girls aged, they held more permissive attitudes toward engaging in early sexual behavior and had a higher intention to engage in early sexual behavior. Intention was a significant predictor to explain sexual behavior among the girls. There is a need to develop strategies that promote intention related to delay and prevention of early sexual behavior.     

Predicting parental anticonvulsant medication compliance using the theory of reasoned action

One approach to better understanding compliance behavior is the use of the theory of reasoned action. In this article, the theory of reasoned action is used to predict the compliance behavior of 29 parents of children with epilespy. In support of the theory, behavioral intention was found to significantly predict (p less than 0.01) parental medicine-giving behavior. Contrary to the results predicted by the theory, parents' attitudes toward giving the medication correlated with a significant amount of variance in medicine-giving behavior beyond that accounted for by behavioral intention.     

The predictive capacity of the theory of reasoned action and the theory of planned behavior in exercise research: An integrated literature review

Although the association between habitual exercise and health benefits has been well documented, physical activity levels in the United States are lower than is necessary to reach the nation's health potential. Beliefs that people hold can be a motivating factor in engaging in exercise. A critical review of the literature was conducted to assess the efficacy of using the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Theory of Planned Behavior with respect to exercise. Evidence for the predictive utility of the theories was found. The Theory of Planned Behavior is a more promising framework for the study of exercise because it includes beliefs about control of factors that would facilitate or inhibit carrying out exercise. Strategies for use of the theories in planning exercise programs are provided and suggestions for future research discussed. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Nurses' intention to leave: critically analyse the theory of reasoned action and organizational commitment model

Aim  To systematically analyse the Organizational Commitment model and Theory of Reasoned Action and determine concepts that can better explain nurses' intention to leave their job.
Background  The Organizational Commitment model and Theory of Reasoned Action have been proposed and applied to understand intention to leave and turnover behaviour, which are major contributors to nursing shortage. However, the appropriateness of applying these two models in nursing was not analysed.
Evaluation  Three main criteria of a useful model were used for the analysis: consistency in the use of concepts, testability and predictability.
Key Issues  Both theories use concepts consistently. Concepts in the Theory of Reasoned Action are defined broadly whereas they are operationally defined in the Organizational Commitment model. Predictability of the Theory of Reasoned Action is questionable whereas the Organizational Commitment model can be applied to predict intention to leave. A model was proposed based on this analysis.
Conclusions  Organizational commitment, intention to leave, work experiences, job characteristics and personal characteristics can be concepts for predicting nurses' intention to leave.
Implications for Nursing Management  Nursing managers may consider nurses' personal characteristics and experiences to increase their organizational commitment and enhance their intention to stay. Empirical studies are needed to test and cross-validate the re-synthesized model for nurses' intention to leave their job.     

A donation to life: organ procurement.

1. Only 15% of brain dead patients become organ donors. This is due to a lack of public education regarding the benefits of organ donation, lack of recognition of potential donors, poor donor management, and unfortunately, even the reluctance of health-care workers to approach families with the choice to donate. 2. Once the patient has been officially accepted as an organ donor and the consents have been signed, the donor goes through a thorough evaluation involving physician consultations and lab work, and the medical history is reviewed for possible complications. 3. As many as four surgical teams may be involved in organ procurement, and good communication between nurses, physicians, and coordinators is vital to promote successful recovery of donor organs.     

Measuring leprosy-related stigma – a pilot study to validate a toolkit of instruments

Purpose.?Stigma negatively affects the quality of life of leprosy-affected people. Instruments are needed to assess levels of stigma and to monitor and evaluate stigma reduction interventions. We conducted a validation study of such instruments in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, India.

Methods.?Four instruments were tested in a ‘Community Based Rehabilitation’ (CBR) setting, the Participation Scale, Internalised Scale of Mental Illness (ISMI) adapted for leprosy-affected persons, Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC) for leprosy-affected and non-affected persons and the General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale. We evaluated the following components of validity, construct validity, internal consistency, test–retest reproducibility and reliability to distinguish between groups. Construct validity was tested by correlating instrument scores and by triangulating quantitative and qualitative findings. Reliability was evaluated by comparing levels of stigma among people affected by leprosy and community controls, and among affected people living in CBR project areas and those in non-CBR areas.

Results.?For the Participation, ISMI and EMIC scores significant differences were observed between those affected by leprosy and those not affected (p?=?0.0001), and between affected persons in the CBR and Control group (p?<?0.05). The internal consistency of the instruments measured with Cronbach's α ranged from 0.83 to 0.96 and was very good for all instruments. Test–retest reproducibility coefficients were 0.80 for the Participation score, 0.70 for the EMIC score, 0.62 for the ISMI score and 0.50 for the GSE score.

Conclusion.?The construct validity of all instruments was confirmed. The Participation and EMIC Scales met all validity criteria, but test–retest reproducibility of the ISMI and GSE Scales needs further evaluation with a shorter test–retest interval and longer training and additional adaptations for the latter.     

Nursing staff members' intentions to use physical restraints with older people: testing the theory of reasoned action

AIM OF THE STUDY: To examine nursing staff members' attitudes, subjective norms, moral obligations and intentions to use physical restraints, using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). RATIONALE: During the last two decades an extensive body of research has examined nurses' attitudes as one of the main factors affecting the decision to use or not to use physical restraints with older persons. However, no studies have examined empirically the antecedents to nurses' intentions to use physical restraints within a theoretically based framework. METHOD: A correlational design was used with 303 nursing staff members from an 800-bed elder care hospital in central Israel. Participants completed a questionnaire including questions based on the TRA as well as socio-demographic and professional characteristics. RESULTS: Regression analyses found attitudes, subjective norms and moral considerations to be significantly associated to intention to use physical restraints with older people. The TRA explained 48% of the variance in nurses' intentions. CONCLUSIONS: The TRA proved to be a useful framework for examining nurses' intentions to use physical restraints. Nurses' attitudes, beliefs and expectations of significant others should be examined before implementing educational programmes regarding the use of physical restraints.     

A cross-validation study of nurses' attitudes and commitment to organ donation in Hong Kong.

This study examined the attitudes and commitment to posthumous organ donation among a group of nurses (N=314) in a teaching hospital in Hong Kong. Attitude was operationally defined by a self-report measure of favorable or unfavorable feelings and beliefs about organ donation, whereas commitment was defined by having signed a donor card. Consistent with findings reported in the West, nurses who exhibited favorable attitudes towards organ donation were of greater proportion than those who had signed a donor card. Younger and unmarried nurses were more likely to commit to posthumous organ donation. More than half (55%) of the nurses were undecided about commitment to organ donation, but most of them were likely to sign a donor card. Principal component analysis confirmed the conceptual structure of the Organ Donation Attitude Scale developed by Parisi and Katz (Health Psychol. 5 (1986) 565-580). Reliability of the factor scores (Humanitarian and moral conviction, Fears of bodily mutilation, and Fears of medical neglect) was satisfactory (Cronbach alpha ranged from 0.80 to 0.86). Fears of bodily mutilation were most significantly related to unwillingness to commit to organ donation. Implications of the findings for nursing education are discussed and suggestions for future research made.