ABSTRACT
It is well known that the most important HIV-preventive behaviours are related to the use of condoms and safe injecting of drugs. These will remain critical behaviours, even after the introduction of an HIV-preventive vaccine (Fishbein & Middlestadt, 1989). Along with the proliferation of research on condom use and safe needle use in response to the AIDS epidemic, there has been a reliance on the use of a plethora of scales and questionnaires, which have neither been subjected to proper scale development based on qualitative research with appropriate target groups nor developed within the framework of appropriate theories of human behaviour. This chapter describes the development of a scale to measure intentions to use condoms, which is based on the components of the theory of reasoned action (TRA). Using the TRA as part of such an approach has the potential to increase our understanding of sexual behaviour and those determinants which are associated with an increased risk of HIV infection (Parker & Carballo, 1990).
