How we are overlooking the teen HIV issue

Teenagers account for up to 39 percent of new HIV cases annually in some parts of the country like San Fransisco, and according to the Department of Health and Human Services, undiagnosed HIV cases are thought to be highest among this age group. When it comes to prevention, however, it appears medical professionals are failing teens in one critical area.

SEE ALSO: Who is most likely to delay HIV treatment?

Only 1 in 5 sexually active teens are being tested for HIV indicates a new report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Though part of the blame lies with health providers seeing underage teens, the CDC suspects the general attitude toward HIV among young people has changed. Recent advancements in treatment have made HIV seem less dangerous than it was during the initial outbreak. Individuals diagnosed with the virus are leading longer, healthier lives and therefore teenagers are hearing less about it.

“We know that one in four new HIV infections occur in young people ages 13 to 24, which is about 12,200 new infections per year in the United States,” said lead researcher Laura Kann, to HealthDay. “We have too many kids in this country at risk of HIV infection and we have not enough kids tested for HIV, and we need to do more. It’s unclear why we have not been able to increase testing more than we have,” she said. “We do have evidence of increased complacency about HIV among teens.”

Kann indicates because teens were not around in the early days of the epidemic they did not see the havoc that it wreaked. In addition, a lack of emphasis in society compared to what there was previously tends to breed a complacent attitude, even among adults.

“This is very concerning, but not surprising,” said Dr. Vivian Hernandez-Trujillo, an immunologist at Miami Children’s Hospital. “One of the things I speak to my patients about is, are they sexually active and are they using protection all the time. Since the reality is that they aren’t using protection all the time, it’s even more concerning that they aren’t getting tested.”

Other highlights of the CDC report include:

• Girls were more likely than boys to be tested (27 percent vs. 18 percent).
• Black teens (28 percent) were more likely to be tested than white (20 percent) or Hispanic (21 percent) teens.
• The proportion of teens who have had sexual intercourse dropped from 54 percent in 1991 to 46 percent in 2001, and remained stable at 47 percent in 2013.
• Since 1991, sexual intercourse among black teens declined from 82 percent to 61 percent, among Hispanic teens from 53 percent to 49 percent, and among white teens from 50 percent to 44 percent in 2013.
• The proportion of teens who had sexual intercourse with four or more partners dropped from 19 percent in 1991 to 14 percent in 2003, and has been stable since, at 15 percent.
• The proportion of sexually active teens using condoms increased from 46 percent in 1991 to 63 percent in 2003, but dropped to 59 percent in 2013.

SEE ALSO: The real cost of HIV/AIDS

Experts recommend that, while it is important for medical providers to request tests and speak with teens about HIV, especially when they are underage, teens should take an active role in their own health. This doesn’t mean leaving teens to their own devices, but it does mean that those who work with teens need to boost awareness programs and outreach methods.

Only through the correct education will teenagers understand the real risk associated with HIV.