306976
YRBS 20-year trends showed racial/ethnic disparities in school-based HIV/AIDS education among adolescents
Approximately fifty thousand individuals are diagnosed with HIV in the US per year. Research shows that Hispanics and African-Americans are severely affected by HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, one in four new HIV infections are within the ages of 13-24. As such, HIV/AIDS educational programs are offered in high schools to address the HIV epidemic. This study identifies various trends (such as racial/ethnic similarities and differences) that exist between high school boys and girls who report never having HIV/AIDS education in school.
Methods
The methodology involves secondary data analysis of the 1991 to 2011 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey comparing trends among gender, racial/ethnic (particularly White, African-American and Hispanic) and grade differences among high school individuals who had never had HIV/AIDS infection education at their school.
Results
- Boys and girls in high school reported similar proportions of being taught about HIV/AIDS in school.
- The 20-year trends among White adolescents who reported never being taught about HIV/AIDS in school appear nearly ‘U’ shaped, while, Hispanic and African American adolescents had ‘W’ shaped trends.
- Excluding Hispanic 10th and African-American 12th graders, the proportions of other adolescents who reported not being taught about HIV/AIDS in school sharply increased since 2007.
- In general, higher proportion of Hispanic adolescents reported never being taught about HIV/AIDS in school followed African-American and Whites respectively.
Discussion
The 20-year longitudinal trends show that Hispanic boys and girls reported the least being taught about HIV/AIDS in school. Cultural/religious reasons may contribute to such trends. Cultural-sensitive sexuality education in schools is therefore recommended.
Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public healthPublic health or related education
Learning Objectives:
Discuss racial/ethnic disparities among those individuals who are not taught about HIV/AIDS infection from the YRBS 1991 to 2011 data.
Identify HIV/AIDS school education trends among genders, races/ethnicities and grade levels among high school students from the YRBS 1991 to 2011 data.
Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, School-Based Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have conducted and analyzed this proposed study.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.