National Survey Shows Teens ‘Very Concerned’ About HIV/AIDS
Teens are "very concerned" about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S., according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's National Survey of Teens on HIV/AIDS 2000. A national telephone survey of 1,512 teens between the ages of 12 and 17 years old assessed attitudes and knowledge about HIV/AIDS among a group for which AIDS "remains a leading cause of death": People under age 25 make up half of all new HIV cases in the U.S. every year. Survey specifics include:
- 34% of all teens are "very concerned" about being infected. That number is even higher among African American teens, 60%, and Latino teens, 44%.
- 91% of teens are aware that the risk of infection is greater through unprotected sexual intercourse, but only 57% say they want more information about how to better protect themselves. Minorities and girls are more likely to say they want to know more about protection as well as a other HIV/AIDS-related topics.
- 69% of teens are unclear about where to go for HIV testing.