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Predisposing, enabling and need-for-care predictors of adolescents' intention to use sexual health services
Nancy F Berglas1, Katherine Hucles2, Norman A Constantine1
1Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development, Public Health Institute, 555 12th Street, Oakland, CA 94607, USA.
Background:
The study aimed to understand the influence of predisposing, enabling and need-for-care factors on adolescents' intention to use sexual health services, using Andersen's Behavioural Model of Health Service Utilisation to organise and test these factors.
Methods:
A sample of predominantly Hispanic teens (n=600) in Los Angeles, California completed a self-report survey about their sexual health knowledge, beliefs, intentions, and behaviours. Hierarchical regression modelling was used to examine the incremental influences on adolescents' intention to use sexual health services of: 1) predisposing sociodemographic factors; 2) predisposing knowledge and beliefs about sexual health; 3) enabling factors regarding perceived access to sexual health services; and 4) a need-for-care factor (sexual experience).
Results:
Adolescents reported high intentions to use sexual health services (3.25 on a 4-point scale), yet only 42% reported knowing where to access services. Sexual health knowledge and beliefs significantly predicted adolescents' intention to use services beyond the effect of sociodemographics (P<0.001). Enabling factors indicating awareness of and importance attributed to accessibility significantly predicted intention to use services incremental to predisposing factors (P<0.001). However, need for care - that is, sexual experience - was not statistically associated with intention to use services (P=0.402).
Conclusions:
Sexual health interventions are needed to provide sexual health information, promote positive beliefs about health care, and ensure adolescents' awareness of and access to sexual health services.
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