The Emergence of Adolescents as a Risk Group for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

Abstract

Adolesceents have only recently been identified as a risk group for human immunodeficiencv, virus inifectioni. Limited data suggest that the prevalence of HIV infection among selected adolescent populatiotns is considerable. These data, however, are not generalizable because of the unrepresentative nature of the adolescent populations studied. Surrogate epidemiologic markers for projecting the potential spread of HIV in the adolescent populationi are idenitified. These markers include the prevalence of contraceptive behavior, rate of untinttetided pregnancy, and the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases. Adolescetits kniowledge, attitudes, atid clanges in AIDS-preventive behavior are described. Psychosocial factors that may influence the adoption and maintenance of AIDS-prev entitie behav iors are identified and discussed. To increase the potentialfor developing the most effective HIV prevention programs, there is a need for greater understanding of the psxychosocial determinants motivating behavior change among adolescents.