What Works in Youth HIV

Youth ages 13- 24 account for an estimated 26 percent of all new HIV infections in 2010 with 60 percent of youths with HIV/AIDS unaware of their infection. Black youth account for an estimated 57 percent of all new HIV infections among youth in the U.S., followed by Hispanic/Latino and white youth. Nearly 75 percent of new HIV infections among youth are attributed to men who have sex with men (MSM). Reducing new HIV infections among the most vulnerable populations, particularly minorities and MSM are primary objectives of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, Healthy People 2020, CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention Strategic Plan, and the Minority AIDS Initiative.

To address this issue the Office of Adolescent Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, funded JSI to re-launch the Adolescent HIV Prevention National Resource Center. This Center’s goal is to improve access to practical evidence-based and emerging HIV/AIDS prevention resources that improve the capacity of those who work with youth at risk for HIV and help them to prevent HIV infections among those they serve.

In early Spring 2016, JSI re-launched the National Resource Center – www.whatworksinyouthhiv.org (site no longer active). Our work included the design of the new website, focused on enriching the content of the OAH approved evidence-based practices. Those serving youth will be able to benefit from easy access to case studies, research, print, and multimedia resources that will enrich their program offerings. Also, the new Center provides information on the use of social marketing and social media approaches to HIV prevention.

In addition, the Center will host a webinar and other events to provide technical assistance and education to those who want to stay up-to-date on the rapidly changing HIV prevention area especially with the newer focus on biomedical interventions (i.e., treatment as prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP).