Effectiveness of a Theory-Based Education Program in Prevention of HIV Transmission Risk Behaviors in HIV+ Patients: An Intervention in Health Belief Model Framework

Aims: Prevention and reduction of HIV risk behaviors in the patients with positive HIV are of the priorities of public health. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of educational program based on health belief model (HBM) on the behaviors preventing disease transmission in the positive HIV patients.
In the semi-experimental study, 92 positive HIV patients with AIDS, aged more than 18 years and recorded by the counseling centers for infectious and behavioral diseases in either Saravan or Sarbaz, were studied in 2013. The subjects were selected via census method. Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire consisted of a demographic part (10 questions), the health belief model constructs (17 questions), and patients’ functioning assessment part (11 questions). Data was analyzed by SPSS 18 software using independent T, paired-T, and Chi-square tests.
Findings: There was no significant difference between the groups in the demographic characteristics and they were equal. There were considerable significant increases in the mean scores of the perceived sensitiveness and intensity, the perceived benefits and obstructions, the perceived self-efficacy, and behavior after the training intervention than before the intervention (p Health belief model is effective on the enhancement of AIDS preventing behaviors in patients with AIDS. In addition, through increased levels of awareness, attitude, sensitiveness, intensity, benefits, and self-efficacy, as well as a reduction in the perceived obstructions, it increases AIDS preventing behaviors.