Development of HIV prevention motivation model for promoting healthy behavioral changes in conscripts of the ninth of battalion infantry

Abstract

Purpose: To develop an HIV prevention motivation model for promoting healthy behaviors changes in Thai Army conscripts of the ninth battalion infantry. Design: Design combined quantitative and qualitative methods.

Methods: The three phases: Phase I, data collection, Phase II, Focus Groups, and Phase III, Model Development. Phase I, used stratified random sampling from 387 conscripts who completed a questionnaire about behaviors related to HIV infection. Results of this phase were used to develop a Motivation for Preventing HIV Infection questionnaire and a Semi-
Structured Interview Guide. Conscripts were divided into 3 groups based on behaviors, (1) risky behaviors
(2) alternatively risky to healthy behaviors, and (3) healthy behaviors. Conscripts completed the motivation for preventing HIV infection questionnaire. Phase II, was used to collect data from 8 conscripts based on their behaviors associated with HIV infection. Focus groups with their family members, close friends, and commanders were also conducted. Phase III, combined the results of phase I and II to develop The Model. Data Analysis: mean, SD, correlation, regression, and content analysis were used.

Results: The study revealed positively significant relationship between availability of consulting wife or girlfriend when having stress, hobby, availability of consulting close friend when having stress, experience viewing AIDS patients, army policy, influencing of commander and motivation for preventing HIV infection(p<0.05). Regression analysis also revealed that these variables account for 7.0% of the motivation variance related to behavior change in prevention of HIV infection (p<0.05).

Conclusions: The study findings were used to develop the model which focused perception of severity, self-efficacy, life-expectation, and social support.