Stockholm Speakers on Adolescents and AIDS: 'Catch Them Before They Catch It'

Abstract

THE NEXT GENERATION of persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is getting sick now. The number of adolescents infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is rising slowly but steadily around the world, according to reports presented in Stockholm at the Fourth International Conference on AIDS. In contrast to children born to infected mothers or those who have acquired the disease from contaminated blood products, today's teenagers who will be tomorrow's AIDS statistics could avoid catching the virus. In contrast to the many homosexual men (and some intravenous [IV] drug users) who have reportedly ceased their high-risk behavior in response to the AIDS threat, self-perceived "invulnerable" teenagers continue living dangerously. Whether the problem is lack of information, lack of belief, or something else is debated. But eight years into the epidemic, adults who care are arming themselves with facts and figures and refining educational strategies they hope will help adolescents stay