Introduction
The teenagers in America and the world are a group that is constantly at risk of infection with the Human-Immunodeficiency-Virus (HIV) and developing the Acquired-Immune-Deficiency-Syndrome (AIDS), the disease condition that eventually results; this is stemming mainly from risky sexual behavior and lack of proper awareness on prevention of infection is attained. In developing countries, youth run the highest risk of infection (Hawkes et al, 2002); this is fueled by their large youth populations, poverty, illiteracy, and rapid urbanization. This essay seeks to explore the issue of HIV/AIDS in teenagers in regards to the studies into the issues, risk factors; and impact and future implications to the society.
Study On Teenage Hiv Infection
the UNAIDS/WHO 2004 December update reported that a total of 39.5million people were infected with the virus; where 2.5million were below the age of 15year; 5million of these cases were new infections and 3million cases developed fatal AIDS.
In the US, in 2004 4,883 persons aged between 13 and 24 years were diagnosed to be HIV positive (CDC, 2004); about 13% of all the new diagnoses in the period. The group however progresses to AIDS at a far slower rate than other age groups; although this may be a desirable thing for many people, it has the sinister effect of delaying diagnosis and therefore lengthening the period in which the infected person is a risk to others. The distribution of infection was not homogenous to all young members of the society; for example, African-American youth were found to be represented in 55% of all new infections reported in the 13-24 age group (CDC, 2004).
Compared to the 13% reporting rate of new HIV infections in the year, the same can not be said for the diagnosis of AID; in the same year 2,174 persons in the age group were diagnosed with the disease; this represented only 5.1% of the total diagnoses. Additionally, these young people can live longer than any other age group after a diagnosis of AIDS.
Risk Factors Among The Teenagers
Age of sexual initiation; studies have shown that teenagers are getting introduced to sexual relations at younger ages. The trend is evident in most cities around the world. In the US, teenagers as young as 13 years old are engaging in sexual intercourse in high schools. Additionally, education on ways of preventing HIV infection has not begun at this age thus most teenagers are ignorant of the risk they are exposing themselves to.
Gender; young women are more likely to be infected with HIV at an early age compared to their male counterparts; more so among teenagers of minority origin (Clark et al., 2005). Their disproportionate risk among this group is attributed to several factors including biological predisposition, unequal relationship, and having intercourse with an older male.
Homosexuality; young men who engage in intercourse with men are more likely to get HIV than their heterosexual counterparts; this doesn’t stem from any sexual practice that makes sex riskier since the methods used for preventing infection across a heterosexual encounter are equally effective in a homosexual one. The biggest problem is that this group is less likely to admit their sexual orientation and is thus less likely to seek HIV testing.
Sexually transmitted infections (STI); an unholy alliance has arisen between sexually transmitted infection and HIV. A person carrying the virus is most likely also to be carrying an STI, this is due to their lowered immunity. On the other hand, a person suffering from an STI stands a higher chance of getting infected with HIV during intercourse (Fleming et al, 2006).
Drug and Alcohol abuse heightens the risk of getting infected with HIV as the user is more likely to engage in risky sexual practices; additionally, the sharing of drug paraphernalia such as needles increases this risk (SAMHSA, 2004).
Poverty and Delinquency; poverty makes it hard for the youth to get quality education including on HIV transmission; additionally, it makes it harder for teenagers to get the materials such as condoms to practice safer sex. Teenagers who are not enrolled in any school are at a higher risk of contracting the disease than their enrolled counterparts.
Perinatal infection; since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, many babies have been infected with the virus from the mother at any of the stages of gestation and parturition. Of those who survived, many are entering into their teenage years and have to face new sexuality with the burden of the virus.
Impact On The Society
The AIDS pandemic is already causing serious problems in the world. Incidence is reemerging in areas where it was thought to be controlled in other risk groups; the emergence of the teenagers is a big blow to the fight as the main aim was to control the occurrence of new cases.
As more young people are being diagnosed with new infections, the resources to fight the pandemics have to be redistributed to cover younger age groups and putting the strain especially on the funds set aside for this purpose if more are not allocated.
Future Implications In The Society
With more people growing up with the virus, they will in the future be faced with hard decisions regarding their sexuality. Whereas there are safe ways of engaging in sex without transmitting the virus, the family and society structure will be affected by the situation. The disease will put a major strain on the societies’ need to replace aging workers in the various industries with younger healthy individuals.
On the other hand, with many healthcare systems in most countries experiencing difficulties in providing quality and affordable healthcare to the citizens, the development of all the new cases into AIDS; the new burden on the systems may affect the provision of healthcare.
Recommendation
The biggest driver of new infections among the teenager is the lack of awareness; this ranges from awareness of the risk of having unprotected sex, to that of sharing drug-use paraphernalia; and the proper use of condoms.
The assumption that teenagers are not engaging in sex is wrong; in fact, younger teenagers are involved in sex than previously thought.
A proper awareness campaign that is appropriate for this age is needed; this should include acquisition and proper use of protection; and also the fact that the only completely effective way of preventing infection is through abstinence.
Conclusion
Teenagers as a distinct age group should be looked at in a new light; they should be considered equally or even more at risk of getting the infection than the traditional high-risk groups; and AIDS-control agencies, parents, and schools should reorient themselves to reducing incidence among the teenagers.
References
CDC (2008): CDC HIV/AIDS Fact sheet; HIV/AIDS among the youth: Web.
CDC (2004): HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, 2004 Vol. 16. Atlanta: US Department of Health and Human Services, CDC: 2005:1–46. Web.
Clark LF, Miller KS, and Nagy SS. (2005): Adult identity mentoring: reducing sexual risk for African-American seventh-grade students. Journal of Adolescent Health 2005; 37:337.e1–337.e10.
Fleming DT, Wasserheit JN. (2006): From epidemiological synergy to public health policy and practice: the contribution of other sexually transmitted diseases to sexual transmission of HIV infection. Sexually Transmitted Infections 1999; 75:3–17.
Hawkes S. et al. (2002): Diverse realities: sexually transmitted infections and HIV in India. Sexually Transmitted Infections 2002; 78:131-139.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: 2004 National Survey on Drug Use & Health: Web.