Counseling and HIV antibody testing with adolescents and young adults.
Int Conf AIDS 1993 Jun 6-11; 9:122 (abstract no. WS-D19-1) Henderson R, Shalwitz J, Hodgins A; Special Programs for Youth, San Francisco, California.
Youth at high risk for HIV infection historically have not been educated and counseled about the option of HIV antibody testing in their lives. Providers have lacked the consciousness, training, and support to adequately address this issue in their care to young people. Most youth with high risk histories remain unscreened for the virus. Project AHEAD, San Francisco's HRSA Pediatric AIDS Demonstration Grant, has made the issues of youth and testing it's primary focus. It has developed an HIV+ speakers bureau that speak at various training conferences, meetings, and with the media, sharing their stories as young infected people. A three day training has been developed that challenges youth providers about where they stand on testing and helps them develop counseling strategies and skills. Increased collaboration, services, and advocacy around the issue of youth and testing has helped the city of San Francisco open the door of testing to young people empowering them to understand, explore and then make choices about testing in their lives.
Keywords: AEGIS, Counseling, HIV Infections, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Adolescent, Adolescent Health Services, Attitude to Health, San Francisco, Adult, Human, Adolescence, Child, ICA9 930606
WSD191
