301633
Demographic and Behavioral Risk Factors Among Youth Testing for HIV at Community Based Venues
In 2010, adolescents aged 13-24 years comprised 1 in 4 of new HIV infections. HIV/AIDS remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in New York City. Brooklyn has approximately 1/3 of cases in NYC for this age group.
Methods:
Health & Education Alternatives for Teens (HEAT) offers HIV tests for high-risk youth through venues including house balls, LGBT youth programs, college campuses, libraries, and HEAT’s HIV clinic. In 2012, HEAT intensified its outreach efforts by adding outreach locations and testing more youth. This study compares the number and sources of HIV-positive tests in 2011 and 2012 using t-tests in the statistical package R.
Results:
In 2011, HEAT performed 575 HIV tests, of which 0.87% were positive. In 2012, HEAT performed 1326 HIV tests, of which 2.3% were positive: 21 MSM, 3 bisexual, 4 heterosexual, and 2 unknown. Individuals testing positive had a median age of 21 with inter-quartile range (17.5, 24.5). Most (70%) positive results were identified through direct HEAT testing events. Testing at LGBT venues increased in 2012 by a factor of 2.5.
Conclusion:
HEAT’s HIV testing expansion increased the number of positive HIV tests by a factor of 6. HEAT's outreach and testing expansion helped more youth with HIV get diagnosed and enter care. The geographic spread of youth testing HIV+ was largely reflective of young MSM testing for HIV at LGBT venues which draw serving youth from across NYC and HEAT’s efforts to conduct outreach and in the house ball community.
Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health educationConduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Diversity and culture
Epidemiology
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Program planning
Learning Objectives:
Demonstrate the knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevalence among adolescents in the U.S.
Identify characteristics of adolescents at high risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS (i.e.: behaviors, sexual practice, age group).
Assess program effectiveness through statistical/data analysis.
Formulate future research needs in HIV/AIDS care and programming among teenagers and young adults in inner city.
Keyword(s): Adolescents, HIV/AIDS
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I completed Internal Medicine residency training, and I am concurrently pursuing an Advanced Certificate in Public Health while completing Adolescent Medicine Fellowship. I see teens and young adults in our grant-funded clinic: Health Alternatives and Education for Teams, a comprehensive medical home for high-risk and HIV positive teens. Among my scientific interests has been the development of strategies for preventing HIV and STDs among adolescents.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.