HIV and AIDS in Teenagers
Although most of the reported HIV and AIDS infections were men and women belonging to an older age group, teenagers are as pre-disposed to the infection as they are. There is an estimated 2.5 million HIV-infected people under fifteen years of age.
One of the earliest reported cases of AIDS was of a 15-year-old African American boy, known as Robert R, who was thought to be a prostitute. He died in 1959 and it was confirmed in 1987 that AIDS was the cause of death.
Today, social and peer pressure have pushed and even encouraged teenagers and young adults to have sex. The risks of teenage sex include early pregnancy, cervical dysplasia which is manifested by the development of abnormal cells in the cervix and is known to develop into cervical cancer, and sexually transmitted diseases such as AIDS being the most alarming.
The lack of knowledge about HIV and AIDS and contraceptives has resulted in a rapidly increasing number of HIV and AIDS-infected teenagers.
In the United States, the average age of consent is sixteen. The age of consent is simply the age in which you are allowed to have sex, no matter what the case may be. This law is hardly well-implemented and is highly disregarded.
Reported cases of drug abuse in teenagers are also rapidly increasing, therefore making teenagers more susceptible to acquiring HIV through sexual intercourse and drug use.
Teenagers are confined to the idea that having and using drugs are cool so they resort to these rather irresponsible ways. Teenagers should receive sex education and must be oriented with preventive measures for HIV and AIDS infection.
AIDS Buddy
