Drug Abuse and HIV/AIDS

Research Findings from September, 2003 Director's Report

This section lists selected summaries from NIDA funded research projects that investigate youth drug abuse and HIV/AIDS. The summaries provided were selected from recent issues of the Director's Report to the National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse. For a more comprehensive listing of NIDA funded projects see the Director's Report.

HIV and AIDS Risk Behaviors in Juvenile Detainees

Detained youth may be at especially high risk for contracting HIV and AIDS. This study reports on the rates of HIV and AIDS sexual and drug risk behaviors among a group of juvenile detainees participating in the Northwestern Juvenile Project. Participants in this longitudinal study included 1829 youth (age 10-18) initially arrested and detained between 1995 and 1998 at the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center in Chicago, Ill. The random sample was stratified by gender, race/ethnicity, age, and charge severity. Information related to HIV and AIDS risk behavior was collected on 800 participants from the larger study. Results indicate 95% of the detained youth report engaging in 3 or more sexual and drug risk behaviors, and 65% report engaging in 10 or more risk behaviors. More than 90% of the males were sexually active; 61% had more than one sexual partner in the last three months. Significantly more males than females report engaging in the sexual risk behaviors examined in this study. No significant gender differences were found in the self-report data related to drug risk behaviors. Regarding race/ethnicity: African American males report engaging in significantly more sexual risk behaviors, although non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics report participating in more drug risk behaviors. Among females, significantly more non-Hispanic Whites than African Americans or Hispanics report engaging in sexual risk behaviors, while Non-Hispanic Whites and Hispanics report participating in more drug risk behaviors. Over 50% of juveniles age 10-13 report engaging in both sexual and drug risk behaviors. These findings highlight the importance of developing effective sexual and drug-related HIV/AIDS risk reduction interventions for youth in the juvenile justice system. Teplin, L.A., Mericle, A.M., McCelland, G.M., and Abram, K.M. HIV and AIDS Risk Behaviors in Juvenile Detainees: Implications for Public Health Policy. American Journal of Public Health, 93(6), pp. 906-912, 2003.