Sexual Behavior and Knowledge among Adolescents with Perinatally Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Compared to HIV-Uninfected Adolescents at an Urban Tertiary Center in New Jersey

Abstract

Background . Sexual behaviors and knowledge among PHIV-infected (PHIV + ) adolescents in comparison with HIV-uninfected youths are not well understood and continue to be studied actively. Objective . To compare sexual behavior and sexual knowledge of PHIV + and HIV-uninfected adolescents at an urban, tertiary-care center in New Jersey. Study Design . Modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance questionnaire was administered to PHIV + and HIV-uninfected adolescents to assess and compare sexual behavior and knowledge over a 1-year-period. Results . Twenty-seven PHIV + and 100 HIV-uninfected adolescents were studied; 59% PHIV + and 52% HIV-uninfected adolescents were sexually active. A significantly higher proportion of PHIV + adolescents compared to HIV-uninfected adolescents reported ≥1 occasion of unprotected penetrative sex ( p<0.0001 ) and reported multiple (>4) sexual partners ( p=0.037 ). Significantly more PHIV + males reported receptive anal intercourse ( p<0.001 ). About 1/3 of adolescents in both groups were unaware that sexual abstinence can prevent HIV transmission and >80% adolescents in both groups did not consider multiple sexual partners a risk factor for HIV transmission. Only 25% PHIV + adolescents reported disclosing their seropositive status to their first sexual partners. Conclusions . High risk sexual behaviors were significantly more prevalent among PHIV + youths; however both groups demonstrated considerable gaps in sexual knowledge. There is an urgent need for heightening awareness about risky behaviors, interventions for prevention, and reproductive health promotion among adolescents.