The Effects of Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model in Predicting Safer Sexual Dual Protection Behaviors Among Female University Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Background The burden of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancy remains a significant public health concern, with young women being disproportionately affected. While both can be prevented simultaneously by the same safer sexual practice, such as abstinence or dual protection use, little is known about the patterns and predictors of safer sexual dual protection behaviors based on theoretical models. This study examined the effects of information-motivation-behavioral skills model in predicting safer sexual dual protection behaviors among female university students. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among female university students at Mattu University. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 24. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling with AMOS 24. Results Of the 1,020 participants, 624 (61.2%) practiced primary sexual abstinence, whereas 396 (38.8%) had ever had sexual intercourse, of whom only 76 (20.5%) used dual protection at last sex. The results of path analysis indicated that primary sexual abstinence was directly and significantly predicted by motivation (β = 0.34, p < 0.001), behavioral skills (β = 0.24, p < 0.001) and information (β = 0.11, p < 0.001). Among sexually active, dual protection use was directly and strongly predicted by motivation (β = 0.29, p < 0.001) and behavioral skills (β = 0.27, p < 0.001), but it was weakly predicted by information (β = 0.04, p < 0.05). Conclusions The findings indicate that the IMB model is useful for identifying powerful predictors of safer sexual dual protection behaviors, which has potential implications for designing targeted interventions to promote abstinence or dual protection use for youth. Given that information has a strong effect on behavioral skills to indirectly affect the behavior; it is worth to incorporate all components of the IMB model in intervention to promote dual protection for youth.