REDUCING HIV SEXUAL RISK BEHAVIORS AMONG RUNAWAY ADOLESCENTS

Objective. - Reductions in runaways' sexual risk behaviors were evaluated in response to an intensive program to prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Design. - In a nonrandomized control trial, sexual risk behaviors among 78 runaways at one residential shelter who received up to 30 HIV/AIDS intervention sessions were compared with 67 runaways at a nonintervention shelter with sexual behaviors assessed at baseline and 3 and 6 months. Setting. - Runaways were recruited from the only two publicly funded shelters in New York, NY. Participants. - The runaways were aged 11 to 18 years, 64% female, and predominantly black or Hispanic. Intervention. - The intervention addressed general knowledge about HIV/AIDS, coping skills, access to health care and other resources, and individual barriers to safer sex. Main Outcome Measures. - Consistent condom use, a high-risk pattern of sexual behavior, and sexual abstinence over a 3-month time frame were assessed. Main Results. - As the number of intervention sessions increased, runaways' reports of consistent condom use increased significantly (at 3 months, unique R2 = .06, P < .05; at 6 months, unique R2 = .09, P < .05), and their reports of engaging in a high-risk pattern of sexual behavior decreased significantly (at 3 months, unique R2 = .03, P =.06; at 6 months, unique R2 = .04, P < .05). Abstinence did not change. Conclusions. - The demonstrated effectiveness of the intensive HIV/AIDS program highlights the importance of enlarging the scope of most current HIV/AIDS prevention programs.