Street youth and the AIDS pandemic
Luna, G.C.; Rotheram-Borus, M.J.
Aids Education and Prevention Official Publication of the International Society for Aids Education Suppl: 1-13
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0899-9546 PMID: 1389865 Document Number: 321469
Homelessness among youth is universal, but is particularly great in developing countries. Children advocates have categorized youth with no fixed address in the US as runaways, throwaways, homeless youth, system youth, and street youth. About 50% of such youth are system youth who have lived in institutions or foster homes. Around 21% are children whose parents forced them out of the home. 60% have been sexually abused at home. Homeless youth are at higher risk of HIV than those who have a home. This risk comes primarily from unprotected, often homosexual, intercourse and iv drug use. Some subgroups of street youth in Brazil have an HIV prevalence rate of 35%. Street youth take on these risky behaviors to just survive. PAHO, WHO, and UNICEF have placed HIV prevention among teenagers as a top priority. VArious countries have hosted national and international conferences on this topic. In June 1990, the 1st International Conference on AIDS and Homeless Youth took place in San Francisco to gather international community specialists from 32 countries to respond to the AIDS crisis. Many recommendations came from this conference. 1st, all nations and international bodies must recognize and enforce the rights of children. Street youth must have access to comprehensive health care (mental health care, treatment for substance abuse, bereavement services, and HIV testing and counseling). Health workers must be prepared to provide street-based services. HIV prevention messages based in reality must reach these children. Research needs include epidemiologic data, cross-national and cross-cultural trends, ethnographic descriptions, and high risk behaviors. The next international conference is planned for September 1992 in Brazil and will include street youths as delegates.