SAVA syndemic and comorbid HIV risks among youth transitioning from the U.S. juvenile legal system

Abstract

To date, no studies have examined well-established associations between substance abuse, intimate partner violence, and an increased susceptibility to HIV (also known as the SAVA syndemic), among transitioning age youth in the U.S. juvenile legal system. This secondary data analysis addresses this gap using baseline and 7th wave data from the Pathways to Desistance study (N = 709). We examined the relationship between SAVA syndemic variables, mental health, and HIV testing, differentiated by gender, while controlling for neighborhood conditions, motivation to succeed, and sociodemographic variables among cisgender, youth involved in the juvenile legal system using cross-sectional logistic regression and path models. 50% endorsed intimate partner violence. In path analyses, among males and females, neighborhoods (β = 0.18, p<.01) and illegal drug use (β= −0.91, p<.05) had significant direct effects on testing. Findings underscore the need for gender-specific HIV prevention policies targeting transitioning youth in the juvenile legal system.