Female Sexual Assault, HIV Testing, and HIV Education: A Secondary Analysis of the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Background:In 2010, almost 60% of adolescents with HIV in the United States were unaware of their infection. In 2011, among students who were sexually active, only 22% had been tested for HIV. Over the past few decades, that HIV has been prevalent, much has been discovered regarding all aspects of the disease, including the transmission, the etiology, and treatment. In the 1980’s many people considered HIV/AIDS a death sentence. Currently, an individual with well-managed HIV can live for many years, asymptomatically. Studies have found that physical or sexual assault can be either a risk factor for HIV or a consequence of living with HIV/AIDS.  As adolescents become more sexual activity, research has found that they are less likely to test for HIV.  Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine if female victims of sexual violence are more willing to get tested for HIV/AIDS if educated about HIV/AIDS prior to the experience.

Method:A secondary data analysis of the 2013 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) was used to explore the relationship among female sexual abuse, HIV testing, and HIV education. The YRBS explores different types of risky behaviors associated during adolescence. Three out of the possible 92 questions were used to examine this relationship.

Results:The study is currently in progress.

Conclusion: The knowledge obtained in this study could provide the impetus for change in HIV education to adolescents, leading to an increase in testing, which may slow the spread of HIV in American youth.