Factors related to self-efficacy for use of condoms and birth control among women at risk for HIV infection.

Many women who are at risk for HIV do not regularly use condoms, particularly with their main partners. In this paper we examine factors related to self-efficacy for condom use with main and other partners and self-efficacy for birth control in 2864 women interviewed in five urban high-risk communities. Limited social and economic resources, dependence on a main partner, and risk factors, including exchanging sex for money or drugs and binge drinking, were found to be negatively related to self-efficacy. Segmentation analysis identified groups of women with low self-efficacy who should be the focus of preventive interventions.