For those who are researching on HIV and teenagers, new research just published indicates that less than a quarter of sexually active teens are getting tested for HIV. A new study by Van Handel M, Kahn L, O’Malley E, et al. (2016) shows that HIV testing among sexually active teenagers and adults are still low.
Our journal on Reproductive Health Matters also has some articles looking at teenagers and HIV
The study analyzed National Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to assess HIV testing prevalence among high school students and young adults aged 18 to 24, respectively. The study was an update on earlier studies that found low rates of testing among among both groups. Results indicate that overall rates haven’t significantly changed since 2005.
The researchers looked at data accumulated over eight years from the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted every two years on high school students.
"During the study periods, an average of 22% of high school students (17% of male and 27% of female students) who ever had sexual intercourse and 33% of young adults reported ever being tested for HIV. Among high school students, no change was detected in HIV testing prevalence during 2005–2013, regardless of gender or race/ethnicity. Among young adult males, an average of 27% had ever been tested, and no significant changes were detected overall or by race/ethnicity during 2011–2013. Significant decreases in testing prevalence were detected during 2011–2013 among young adult females overall (from 42.4% to 39.5%), young adult white females (from 37.2% to 33.9%), and young adult black females (from 68.9% to 59.9%)."
Conclusions of the study reveal that HIV testing prevalence was low among high school students and young adults, while no increase in testing among young adult males and decreased testing among young adult black females was concerning given their higher risk of HIV infection. Furthermore, a more worrying thought is that
recommendations to screen all adolescents and young adults for HIV infection, regardless of risk, have not been widely implemented.
HIV testing programs do not appear to be successfully reaching high school students and young adults who represent 26 percent of the new infections, researchers have concluded. This they are attributing to poor sex education, barriers to health care access, and a lack of confidentiality discouraging many from getting tested.
Researchers have called for updated public health approach, which include: ultipronged testing strategies, including provider education, system-level interventions in clinical settings, adolescent-friendly testing services, and sexual health education to begin lowering numbers.
The study analyzed National Youth Risk Behavior Survey and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data to assess HIV testing prevalence among high school students and young adults aged 18 to 24, respectively. The study was an update on earlier studies that found low rates of testing among among both groups. Results indicate that overall rates haven’t significantly changed since 2005.
The researchers looked at data accumulated over eight years from the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, conducted every two years on high school students.
"During the study periods, an average of 22% of high school students (17% of male and 27% of female students) who ever had sexual intercourse and 33% of young adults reported ever being tested for HIV. Among high school students, no change was detected in HIV testing prevalence during 2005–2013, regardless of gender or race/ethnicity. Among young adult males, an average of 27% had ever been tested, and no significant changes were detected overall or by race/ethnicity during 2011–2013. Significant decreases in testing prevalence were detected during 2011–2013 among young adult females overall (from 42.4% to 39.5%), young adult white females (from 37.2% to 33.9%), and young adult black females (from 68.9% to 59.9%)."
Conclusions of the study reveal that HIV testing prevalence was low among high school students and young adults, while no increase in testing among young adult males and decreased testing among young adult black females was concerning given their higher risk of HIV infection. Furthermore, a more worrying thought is that
recommendations to screen all adolescents and young adults for HIV infection, regardless of risk, have not been widely implemented.
HIV testing programs do not appear to be successfully reaching high school students and young adults who represent 26 percent of the new infections, researchers have concluded. This they are attributing to poor sex education, barriers to health care access, and a lack of confidentiality discouraging many from getting tested.
Researchers have called for updated public health approach, which include: ultipronged testing strategies, including provider education, system-level interventions in clinical settings, adolescent-friendly testing services, and sexual health education to begin lowering numbers.
For more detailed look at study please follow the link below were this study was extracted from
extracted from Pediatrics Feb 2016 vol.137 issue 2 http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/137/2/1.36
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