Are there effective prevention methods for young people to fight against HIV?

Due to the prevalence of the Coronavirus pandemic, HIV/ AIDS, once seen as one of the world’s most serious public health challenges now seems to be put into the deep freeze. However, it remains the second leading cause of death worldwide, especially among youth.

Vulnerability rate is much higher in young people than in adults. Young people are actually at a greater risk of catching and transmitting HIV. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), currently, over 30 percent of all new HIV infections globally are estimated to occur among youth aged 15 to 25. Moreover, children infected at birth grow into adolescents who have to deal with their HIV positive status. Overall, WHO counts approximately 5 million youth living with HIV. In Africa, according to 2017 data provided by UNAIDS, there were 4,500 new HIV infections everyday among adults aged 15 years and older, and 37 percent among young people (15-24), of which 22 percent are among young women, and 15 percent among young men. Similarly, in the US, in 2018, the number of new HIV diagnoses was highest among people aged 25 to 34 as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Of the 37,968 new HIV diagnoses, 69 percent were among gay and bisexual men, 24 percent were among heterosexual, and 7 percent were among people who inject drugs.

Several factors increasing the risk of getting HIV infection actually set barriers to HIV prevention among young people. Before tackling the prevention efforts and programs for young people, factors increasing the virus and prevention challenges are firstly needed to be grasped and approached. It is important to note that HIV can be transmitted through what is called “vertical transmission” or transmission from mother-to-child. In fact, around 70 percent of adolescents diagnosed with HIV would have acquired it through vertical transmission. In some cases, vulnerability to HIV can also occur during the transition from childhood to adulthood, when adolescents start to explore new things, such as peer relationships, gender norms, sexuality and so on. That is why understanding AIDS-related prevention challenges is the starting point to any effective HIV prevention efforts so as to decrease HIV infection rate among adolescents and young people. Some of the challenges vary from low HIV and sexual health knowledge to lack of access to HIV services. In other terms, young people do not get enough and adequate sex education and that has not changed but even declined over time. WHO stated that young people’s risk of becoming newly infected with HIV is closely correlated with age of sexual debut. Obviously, the first approach to HIV response and key to its prevention would be consisting in granting young people a more comprehensive sexual education and engaging various stakeholders such as parents, health care givers, community leaders,…in the response, as well as schools and other youth-oriented services or institutions such as associations and clubs. The lack of access to HIV services is also a real challenge for preventing AIDS among young people. Due to perceived stigma and misperceptions about HIV, young people might be probably reluctant to come forward to HIV testing, treatment and counseling which, undoubtedly, will increase the risk of spreading the virus. However, resorting to HIV testing and counseling is a successful way to decrease HIV rate, as it has been proven during HIV prevention in Eastern and Southern Africa by reaching out to young people through mobile and community testing initiatives.

As we celebrate AIDS day every 1st of December, what is highly expected from AIDS-related health care department and organizations is further involvement in worldwide prevention campaign and programs to stop the spread of HIV.

Sources: Word International Organization/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention DC / Avert.org