ResearchProjects

At least half of all new HIV infections in the United States occur among people under age 25. Moreover, substance use increases risk for HIV and other potential negative outcomes. Youth living in impoverished areas with high rates of HIV and substance abuse are significantly more vulnerable than their peers in the general population.  This project aimed to identify and explore factors that influence sexual behavior among adolescents, as well as factors that influence substance use (including as they may relate to sexual risk behavior). They also developed a brief, HIV-prevention intervention for adolescent couples and pilot tested the specific components of the intervention. A better understanding of the individual and couple based factors influencing substance use and sexual risk behavior has great potential to improve intervention efforts for youth at risk for HIV.