ADOLESCENT SEXUAL-BEHAVIOR ALONG THE TRANS-AFRICA HIGHWAY IN KENYA

Objective: To describe the demographic characteristics and HIV-related risk behaviors of adolescents frequenting truck stops along the Trans -Africa Highway in Kenya. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 200 adol escents (52% female) aged 15-19 years was conducted at the Malaba, Sac hangwan and Mashinari truck stops in Kenya. A standardized questionnai re assessing the adolescents' demographic characteristics and sexual b ehavior was administered. Results: Most (89%) of the adolescents inter viewed were out of school. Their median monthly family income was Ksh 1000 (US$25). Most felt that their families provided inadequate access to food (72%), clothing (70%) and pocket money (87%). Ninety-three pe r cent of girls and 87% of boys had ever had sexual intercourse and of these 54% of girls and 38% of boys had ever used a condom. Fifty-two per cent of the girls and 30% of the boys reported ever having had a s exually transmitted disease. Forty-six percent of girls reported usual ly having sex with truck drivers, 78% of girls reported usually exchan ging sex for gifts or money and 59% of boys reported usually giving gi fts or money for sex. Subjects engaging in these three risk behaviors were generally less likely to be in school, less likely to live with r elatives and less likely to report getting along well with their paren ts. Conclusion: Adolescents at truck stops along the Trans-African Hig hway in Kenya appear to be at significant risk for HIV infection. In t he absence of an immediate and wide-ranging intervention, these condit ions are likely to facilitate the spread of HIV from truck drivers and sex workers to adolescents.