Monitoring HIV Risk and Evaluating Interventions among Young People in Urban West Africa: Development and Validation of an Instrument

Abstract

We developed an instrument for HIV/AIDS behavioral surveillance applicable to youth living in urban West Africa. The instrument includes a comprehensive set of constructs borrowed from the sociocognitive theory of planned behavior as well as measures of parental and peer communication An exploratory (n = 189) and validation sample (n = 342) of young men and women living in Bamako were interviewed. Scale construct validity was assessed via factor analysis and multiple linear regressions and internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's coefficient. All constructs had high internal consistency, scales' structure was relatively stable, and associations between different components of the questionnaire were in the predicted directions. Gender, sexual experience and education were significantly associated with attitudes and perception of control. Furthermore, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, perceived norms, and peer communication significantly predicted condom use. This questionnaire offers a valid and reliable tool for assessing young people's sexual behavior in an urban West African setting.