COMPARISON OF HIV-RISK BEHAVIORS AND DEMOGRAPHICS OF ADOLESCENTS TESTED OR NOT TESTED FOR HIV-INFECTION

In a survey of 2,548 adolescents, 11.5 percent reported ever having ha d the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody test. Those who had been tested were significantly more likely to be male, black, and to r eside in metropolitan areas than those who had not been tested. Tested adolescents were more than three times as likely to report having inj ected drugs and were more than twice as likely to have had sexual inte rcourse, had sexual intercourse at earlier ages, and with multiple par tners. More than half of adolescents who had been HIV-tested had no re ported risks for HIV infection. More than one-quarter of adolescents n ot tested reported at least one HIV risk factor. These data suggest th e importance of discussing the HIV testing and counseling process with in any HIV education program directed to adolescents.