Adolescents and HIV.

Worldwide, the rate of new HIV infections is highest among people between the ages of 15 and 24, with 25 percent of all new infections in the U.S. occurring among people aged 13 to 21. The Institute of Medicine released a report in 1996 which highlighted the interaction between behavioral, biological, and socioeconomic factors that increase adolescents' vulnerability to both HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Many normal behaviors of young people are associated with high risk behaviors that can lead to HIV infection, and many young people, such as those who are homeless or are drug users, are at an especially high risk. Biological and sociological factors that can lead to increased risk of infection are discussed, as is the need for adolescent-specific intervention programs. Information on the epidemiology of HIV infection is presented.