THE ASSOCIATION OF PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE WITH HIV RISK BEHAVIORS IN ADOLESCENCE AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD - IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC-HEALTH

This paper explores the relationship between changes in HIV risk behav iors and physical and sexual abuse. A stratified random sampling proce dure selected 602 youths from a sample of 2,787 patients seen consecut ively at public health clinics in 10 cities. Face-to-face structured i nterviews conducted since 1984-85 provide a history of change in risk behavior from adolescence to young adulthood. Univariate and bivariate analyses assessed differences in demographic and number and type of r isk behaviors between those experiencing single or multiple types of a buse and those with no abuse history at all. The results show that a h istory of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or rape is related to engaging in a variety of HIV risk behaviors and to a continuation or increase in the total number of these behaviors between adolescence and young a dulthood. This information might help practitioners to both prevent in itial involvement in HIV risk behaviors and to prevent continuation of behaviors as youths move into young adulthood.