HIV associated risk factors: a survey of a troubled adolescent population

The incidence of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in young adults and the typical incubation period for AIDS suggest that exposure to this disease often occurs in adolescence, a period of life during which risk taking behavior is particularly common. The population of adolescents with mental or behavioral problems and substance abuse problems at the South Dakota Human Services Center were studied by questionnaire and by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening to assess the current prevalence of seropositivity and the potential for HIV transmission in these troubled youths. Sexual behavior, number of partners, prior incarceration, history of sexual abuse, drug and alcohol use, and knowledge about HIV transmission were examined. While no cases of HIV seropositivity were discovered, the authors are disturbed by the prevalence of known and suspected correlate behaviors and historical traits for HIV infection in this population. Implications for intervention and education are discussed.