AIDS and Adolescents (From AIDS: The Second Decade, P 147-252, 1990, Heather G Miller, Charles F Turner, et al., eds. -- See 131958)

• NCJ Number: 131960
• Author(s): D C Des Jarlais; A A Ehrhardt; H G Miller; M T Fullilove; K Hein; J Menken; B S Mensch; C F Turner
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 105 pages
• Sale Source: National Academies Press
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter, which contains AIDS prevention recommendations by the Committee on AIDS Research and the Behavioral, Social, and Statistical Sciences ("The Committee"), focuses on the epidemiology of AIDS and HIV among adolescents, behaviors that put adolescents at risk, prevention, what teens know about AIDS, and improved intervention for adolescents.

Abstract

Although not all adolescents are at risk for HIV infection, there are pockets of adolescents whose sexual behavior with multiple partners and intravenous drug use put them at high risk for the HIV infection. Adolescents at particular risk because of these behaviors are runaway and "throwaway" children, teenage prostitutes, and homeless youth. It is not yet clear how best to educate the Nation's youth about the behavioral changes required to retard the spread of HIV. The Committee recommends systematic study of planned variations of intervention strategies and the Public Health Service's funding of research to determine the effects of planned variations of behavioral interventions to be implemented in the future. The diversity of the adolescent population requires a multiplicity of venues and formats to deliver effective AIDS prevention messages. For some adolescents, intervention may be most effective if it is provided by AIDS prevention programs in the school systems at an early age. For many adolescents at highest risk for HIV infection, however, intervention strategies must use community organizations and media that come in contact with these youth. 300 references