Reducing HIV Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Runaway Adolescents

Abstract

Reductions in runaways' sexual risk behaviors were evaluated in response to an intensive program to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In a nonrandomized control trial, sexual risk behaviors among 78 runaways at one residential shelter who received up to 30 HIV/AIDS intervention sessions were compared with 67 runaways at a nonintervention shelter with sexual behaviors assessed at baseline and 3 and 6 months. Runaways were recruited from the only two publicly funded shelters in New York, NY. The runaways were aged 11 to 18 years, 64% female, and predominantly black or Hispanic. The intervention addressed general knowledge about HIV/AIDS, coping skills, access to health care and other resources, and individual barriers to safer sex. Consistent condom use, a high-risk pattern of sexual behavior, and sexual abstinence over a 3-month time frame were assessed. As the number of intervention sessions increased, runaways' reports of consistent condom use increased significantly (at 3 months, unique R2 = .06, P less than .05; at 6 months, unique R2 = .09, P less than .05), and their reports of engaging in a high-risk pattern of sexual behavior decreased significantly (at 3 months, unique R2 = .03, P = .06; at 6 months, unique R2 = .04, P less than .05). Abstinence did not change. The demonstrated effectiveness of the intensive HIV/AIDS program highlights the importance of enlarging the scope of most current HIV/AIDS prevention programs.