Abstract
Adolescents remain at great risk for HIV transmission and contracting AIDS. Health education, preventive methods, and direct clinical intervention represent major strategies in combating this disease. In order to help increase the effectiveness of these activities, University faculty and a county health agency collaborated to conducted an extensive HIV/AIDS needs assessment of adolescents. The survey included high school, middle school, and community youth (N=1567). Results showed a relatively high level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS, yet participation in risk behavior which did not correlate with knowledge. Data suggested that parents and school were important sources of information about HIV/AIDS. Implications for social work practice and policy are discussed.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Adams, J (1990). AIDS knowledge and sexual attitudes/behaviors in a middle-class, Midwestern, conservative college freshman population.Ohio Science Journal.90, 160–167.
Aruffo, J., Coverdale, J., & Vallbona C. (1991). AIDS knowledge in low-income and minority populations.Public Health Reports.106, 115–119.
Berlin, B., Hingson, R., Strunin, L., & Heeron, R. (1990). Changes in adolescent condom use, knowledge, and beliefs about AIDS in Massachusetts, 1986–89.International AIDS Conference, 6, 233 (Abstract No. S.C. 576).
Bowler, S., Sheon, A., D'Angelo, L., & Vermund, S. (1992). HIV and AIDS among adolescents in the United States: Increasing risk in the 1990s.Journal of Adolescence, 15, 345–371.
Centers for Disease Control (1991).HIV/AIDS surveillance: Year end edition. Atlanta, GA.
Cranston, K. & Yates, R. (1990). Survey of knowledge and attitude change among highschool age adolescents following an educational intervention that utilizes persons with AIDS.International AIDS Conference 6, 270, (Abstract No. S.C. 724).
Crawford, I. (1990). Attitudes of undergraduate college students toward AIDS.Psychological Reports, 66, 11–16.
D'Angelo, L. (1991). A longitudinal study of HIV infection in urban adolescence. Presentation atIntersciences Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Chicago, October 1.
Dawson, D. & Hardy, A. (1988). AIDS knowledge and attitudes of Black Americans. Provisional data from 1988 National Health Interview Survey.National Center for Health Statistics Advance Data, No. 65 (January, Hyattsville, MD.
DiClemente, R., Boyer, C., & Morales, E. (1988). Minorities and AIDS: A survey of knowledge, attitudes, and misconceptions among Black and Latino adolescents.American Journal of Public Health. 1, 55–57.
Evans, N. & Tetro, J. (1990). HIV education program involving presenters with AIDS demonstrates significant impact on adolescents.International AIDS Conference.6, 338, (Abstract No. Th.D. 850).
Ford, K. & Norris, A. (1993). Knowledge of AIDS transmission, risk behavior, and perceptions of risk among urban, low-income. African-American and Hispanic.American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 9(5), 297–306.
Fox, G. & Inazu, J. (1980). Patterns and outcomes of mother-daughter communication about sexuality.Journal of Social Issues, 36, 7–29.
Gayle, H. & D'Angelo, L. (1991). Epidemiology of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and human immunodeficiency virus infection in adolescents.Pediatric Infections Disease Journal, 10, 322–328.
Goodman, E. & Gohall, A. (1989). Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and adolescents: Knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors in a New York City adolescent racial and ethnic minority population.Pediatrics, 84, 36–42.
Hackworth, S. & McMahon, R. (1991). Factors mediating children's health care attitudes.Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 16, 69–85.
Hayes, D. (Ed.) (1987).Risking the future: Adolescent, sexuality, pregnancy, and childbearing. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Helgerson, S., Peterson, L. & AIDS Education Study Group (1988). Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and secondary school students: Their knowledge is limited and they want to learn more.Pediatrics, 81, 350–355.
Hudson, R., Freeman, A., Krepcho, M., & Petty, A. (1990). Adolescent school based AIDS knowledge and attitudes survey.International AIDS Conference, 6, 406 (Abstract No. 3016).
Iannotti, R. & O'Brien, R. (1992).Determinants of children's attitudes towards AIDS. Paper presented at the Society of Behavioral Medicine, New York, NY.
Kegeles, S., Adler, N., & Irwin, C. (1989). Adolescents and condoms: Associations of beliefs with intentions to use.American Journal of Diseases of Children, 143, 911–915.
Keller, S., Bartlett, J., Schleifer, S., Johnson, R., Pinner, E., & Delaney, B. (1991). HIV-relevant sexual behavior among a healthy inner-city heterosexual adolescent population in an enedemic area of HIV.Journal of Adolescent Health, 12, 44–48.
Kibrick, S. (1988). The adolescent and educcation. In Schinazi, R. & Nahamias, A. (Eds.),AIDS in children, adolescence, and heterosexual adults: An interdisciplinary approach to prevention (pp.323–324). New York: Elsevier.
Kipke, M., Futterman, D., & Hein, K. (1990). HIV infection and AIDS during adolescence.Medical Clinics of North America, 74, 1149–1166.
Lewis, D. & Waters, J. (1991). Several risk behaviors among heterosexual intravenous drug users: Ethnic and gender variations.AIDS, 5, 77–83.
Lui, K., Lawrence, D., Morgan, W., Peterman, T., Haverkos, H. & Breggman, D. (1986). A model-based approach for estimating the mean incubation period of transfusionassociated acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.Proceedings of the National Academy of Science USA, 83, 3155–3159.
Lynch, V., Lloyd, G., & Fimbres, M. (Eds.) (1995).The changing face of AIDS: Implications for social work practice. Westport, CT: Auburn House.
MacDonald, N., Wells, G., Fisher, W., Warren, W., King, M., Doherty, J., & Bowie, W. (1990). High-risk STD/HIV behavior among college students.Journal of American Medical Association.263, 3155–3159.
McElreath, R. & Roberts, M. (1992). Perceptions of acquired immune doficiency syndrome by children and their parents.Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 17, 477–490.
Mendez, B., Drucker, E., Vermund, S., Costano, R., Perez-Agosto, R., Parga, F., & Blum, S. (1990). AIDS mortality among Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics in New York City, 1981–1987.Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, 3, 644–648.
Overby, K. & Kegeles, S. (1994). The impact of AIDS on an urban population of highrisk female minority adolescents: Implications for intervention.Journal of Adolescent Health, 15, 216–227.
Roscoe, B. & Kruger, T. (1990). AIDS: Late adolescence knowledge and its influence on sexual behavior.Adolescence, 25, 39–48.
Sigelman, C., Derenowski, E., Mullaney, H., & Siders, A. (1993). Parent's contribution to knowledge and attitudes regarding AIDS.Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 18, (2), 221–235.
Stiffman, A., Earls, F., & Cunningham, R. (1992). Changes in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome-related risk behavior after adolescence: Relationships to knowledge and experience concerning human immunodeficiency virus infection.Pediatrics, 89(5), 950–956.
Sugarman, S., Hergenroder, A., Chacko, M., & Parcel, G. (1991). Acquired immunodeficiency and adolescents.American Journal of Diseases in Children, 145, 431–436.
Williams, M. (1990). Risk behaviors of IV drug using adolescents.National AIDS Demonstration Research Project. Rockville, MD: National Institute of Drug Abuse.
Williams, R. & Ponton, L. (1992). HIV and adolescents: An international perspective.Journal of Adolescence, 15, 335–343.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
The research was funded by the U.S. Conference of Mayors and done in collaboration with the Lucas County Health Department, Toledo, Ohio.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Shields, G., Adams, J. HIV/AIDS among youth: A community needs assessment study. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 12, 361–380 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01876736
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01876736