HIV Testing Among High School Students --- United States, 2007
New HIV testing data released today indicate while some U.S. high school students have been tested for HIV, increased testing among this population is needed. CDC researchers analyzed self-reported data on HIV testing and sexual behavior from the 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative survey of students in grades nine through 12 in the 50 states and District of Columbia. Overall, 12.9 percent of students, and 22.3 percent of students who had ever had sex, have been tested for HIV. The percentage of those tested was higher among female students (14.8 percent) than male students (11.1 percent), higher among black students (22.4 percent) than white (12.7 percent) or Hispanic students (10.7 percent), and highest among students who first had sex before age 13 (30.7 percent). Testing increased with advancing grade level. Although prevalence of testing was highest among sexually active black students in 12th grade (49.4 percent of females, 33.4 percent of males in this subgroup), efforts to further promote HIV testing are vital, given the significant and disproportionate impact that HIV has on African Americans nationwide and the important role testing can play in reducing transmission. Because two-thirds of adolescents aged 15-17 have had a physical examination in the preceding 12 months, routine testing in health care settings as recommended by CDC could substantially boost testing and awareness of HIV status among high school students.
For more information visit: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5824a3.htm?s_cid=mm5824a3_e
