Reexamination of the paradigm of HIV risk reduction in adolescents

Abstract

Abstract Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the adolescent/young adult population of the United States is a serious, growing problem. The current HIV risk reduction strategies for adolescents have been less than effective in stemming the tide of infection. This ineffectiveness can be linked to failure of making developmentally appropriate risk-reduction informational material and reliance on condom-based interventions, which have an unacceptably high failure rate. A critical analysis of current models of HIV-risk reduction should be undertaken to create more developmentally appropriate and effective methods.