Trends in HIV-Related Risk Behaviors Among High School Students --- United States, 1991--2005
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Young persons who engage in unprotected sexual intercourse or use injection drugs are at increased risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. To examine changes in HIV-related risk behavior among high school students in the United States during 1991--2005, CDC analyzed data from eight national Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) conducted during that period. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that, during 1991--2005, the percentage of U.S. high school students engaging in HIV-related sexual risk behaviors decreased. During 1995--2005, the percentage of U.S. high school students who ever injected drugs remained less than 4%. However, many students still engage in HIV-related risk behaviors. Measures aimed at changing these behaviors should be strengthened to decrease the incidence and prevalence of HIV/AIDS among young persons and meet the national 2010 objective for adolescent sexual behavior.


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