Report: Teen HIV prevention programs need to be upgraded

By Staff Writer

Many problem teens are regularly advised about the dangers of drug use, academic underachievement and violent behavior. However, a new study reveals that more juvenile offenders need to be educated about HIV prevention.

The report, which appears in the Journal of Correctional Health Care, was conducted by researchers from the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center. They found that juvenile offender are vulnerable to contracting HIV because they typically have more sexual partners and engage in more substance abuse, which impairs decisions.

In a study of 57 juvenile drug court offenders between ages 13 and 18, they found that five HIV awareness sessions had little impact on some teens' behaviors. Nearly one-third of the participants reported that they had sex without a condom or any form of protection, even after the education sessions.

Researchers said that these findings indicate that more aggressive measures need to be taken in order to educate at-risk adolescents about sexually transmitted diseases. If informational sessions do not get through to some problem teens, community leaders may consider looking to alternative treatment methods to help prevent the spread of HIV.

Troubled teens may benefit from boarding schools, which feature a variety of programs that promote healthy decision making.