ADOLESCENT SYNDROMES OF RISK FOR HIV-INFECTION

For a representative sample of adolescents, this article estimates the odds of various HIV risk behaviors for two groups: The General Risk G roup reports behaviors indirectly related to HIV infection, and the HI V Risk Group engages in a variety of activities directly related to HI V infection. Multinomial logistic regression predicting risk group mem bership on the basis of demographic variables indicates heterogeneity in the combinations of risky behaviors relevant to HIV infection and t he characteristics of adolescents engaging in these behaviors. The res ults highlight the weaknesses of behavioral risk factor studies and ca ll into question the meaningfulness of risk groups in public health as sessments of social conditions. Finally, the article identifies the an alytical process of decontextualization that operates to reduce our th eoretical understanding of adolescent risk taking while also diminishi ng our practical ability to model and control the social causes of HIV infection.