KNOWLEDGE OF AIDS TRANSMISSION, RISK BEHAVIOR, AND PERCEPTIONS OF RISK AMONG URBAN, LOW-INCOME, AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND HISPANIC YOUTH

Low-income, urban, African-American and Hispanic youth have been ident ified as a group that may be at risk for the spread of human immunodef iciency virus (HIV). This article evaluates general knowledge of acqui red immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), knowledge of routes of sexual tr ansmission of HIV, risk behaviors related to sex, and perceived suscep tibility to AIDS of urban low-income youth in Detroit. We drew data fr om a household probability sample of 1,435 of these Detroit youth. The data indicate that, with a few exceptions, general knowledge of AIDS and routes of sexual HIV transmission was good; there were small ethni c and gender differences in knowledge. However, we found substantial e thnic and gender differences in risk behaviors. Young African-American men reported the earliest initiation of sexual activity and the most partners. Young Hispanic women reported the latest initiation of sexua l activity and the fewest partners. A substantial minority of the yout h were concerned about becoming infected with HIV, and these concerns were related to risk behavior. We demonstrate from these data a need f or interventions in this population to correct misconceptions and to p romote use of condoms and other safer sexual behaviors.