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A longitudinal study of adolescents with perinatally or transfusion acquired HIV infection: sexual knowledge, risk reduction self-efficacy and sexual behavior.

Wiener LS, Battles HB, Wood LV

HIV/AIDS Malignancy Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Building 10, Pediatric Clinic I-SE, Room I-6466, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. wienerl@mail.nih.gov

As HIV-positive children are surviving to adolescence and beyond, understanding their HIV knowledge and sexual behavior is critical. Forty HIV+ adolescents/young adults were interviewed twice, approximately 21 months apart (mean age 16.6 and 18.3 years, respectively). Data on demographics, safer sex knowledge, sexual risk behaviors, risk reduction self-efficacy, and Tanner stage were collected. Twenty-eight percent of HIV+ youth at Time 1 and 41% at Time 2 reported being sexually active. HIV transmission/safer sex knowledge was low, increased with age, and both self-efficacy for and actual condom use was relatively high. Secondary prevention messages should be incorporated into routine medical settings.

Published 4 April 2007 in AIDS Behav, 11(3): 471-8.
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