J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2013 Jul;63 Suppl 2:S155-60. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0b013e31829871fb.
Pettifor A, Bekker LG, Hosek S, DiClemente R, Rosenberg M, Bull SS, Allison S,
Delany-Moretlwe S, Kapogiannis BG, Cowan F; HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN)
Adolescent Scientific Committee.
OBJECTIVE: To review the current state of knowledge on the prevention of sexual
transmission of HIV in adolescents and to highlight the existing gaps and
priority areas for future research.
BACKGROUND: A disproportionate burden of HIV infections falls on adolescents, a
developmental stage marked by unique neural, biological, and social transition.
Successful interventions are critical to prevent the spread of HIV in this
vulnerable population.
METHODS: We summarized the current state of research on HIV prevention in
adolescents by providing examples of successful interventions and best practices,
and highlighting current research gaps.
RESULTS: Adolescent interventions fall into 3 main categories: biomedical,
behavioral, and structural. The majority of current research has focused on
individual behavior change, whereas promising biomedical and structural
interventions have been largely understudied in adolescents. Combination
prevention interventions may be particularly valuable to this group.
CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents have unique needs with respect to HIV prevention, and,
thus, interventions should be designed to most effectively reach out to this
population with information and services that will be relevant to them.
PMCID: PMC3746811 [Available on 2014/7/1]
PMID: 23764629 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
