Citation

Lyon ME, Richmond D, D'Angelo LJ. Pediatr. AIDS HIV Infect. 1995; 6(5): 271-275.

Affiliation

Department of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, D.C., USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Mary Ann Liebert Publishers)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11361391

Abstract

This exploratory study was conducted to determine whether sexual abuse might be a risk factor or marker for other risk factors for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. Twenty-five HIV-positive adolescents were assessed for a variety of possible risk factors for HIV infection, including prior history of sexual abuse. Fifteen (60%) had a history of sexual abuse. A history of sexual abuse may be a risk factor for HIV infection directly, or it may be associated with or predispose one to other risk factors. The latter mechanism may be related to the long-term negative outcomes of some individuals with a history of sexual abuse. These may include same-sex sexual experiences as an adolescent, re-victimization with additional episodes of abuse, multiple consensual sexual partners, and drug and/or alcohol abuse. Preventive interventions aimed at reducing the risk of HIV infection must take a history of sexual abuse into account. Patients with such a history deserve intensive psychological counseling to help prevent adverse behavioral outcomes that can result in HIV infection.

Language: en