The high rate of infection in RHY is due to the following factors:
An estimated 16,859 – 27,600 RHY in the US are currently HIV positive
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high risk sexual and drug use behavior
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survival sex
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minimal condom use
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injection drug use
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needle sharing
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having sex while intoxicated or high
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RHY tend to be sexually active at early ages (98% of RHY 16-18 reported having had intercourse) with 49% reporting having first intercourse by age 13
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Being on the street also elevates their risk for sexual victimization which elevates their HIV risk
Family Risk Factors
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Youth are expelled from home due to the following:
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Sexual Orientation
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Pregnancy/Parenting Status
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Use of Drugs or Alcohol
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Normal Adolescent Behavior
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Family Poverty
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Family understanding of adult milestones (e.g., turning 18 means leaving home)
Community Risk Factors
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Child welfare system shortcomings
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Abrupt exits from custodial care
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Housing discrimination
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Low-wage incomes and inability to afford available housing
Medical Risk Factors
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RHY are medically underserved and don't receive HIV prevention services and interventions offered to most youth because they may miss school-based health promotion and disease prevention opportunities
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RHY experience barriers to health care due to lack of health insurance and their distrust of ‘adult-serving' institutions
Consequences of Youth Homelessness
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Poor health, educational, and workforce outcomes
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Dependency on public health, social service, homeless assistance, and corrections systems
Prevention Strategies
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Prevent youth homelessness by improving housing outcomes for youth exiting public care (i.e. foster care, juvenile corrections, and mental health systems).
NN4Y's HIV Prevention Strategies
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Increase the capacity of RHY organizations to provide effective HIV prevention services for youth served by their programs.
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Increase the capacity of other community based youth-serving organizations to provide effective HIV prevention for RHY they serve.