HIV testing remains low in teens

The proportion of HIV testing amongst teens is less than it should be. Young adults between ages of 13 to 24 make up less than 17 percent of the entire United States population. But, they represent 26 percent of the people who are infected by the new HIV infections. The worst part of the whole situation is that they are unaware of their conditions, whether they are infected or not. In order to tackle this situation and reduce the number of infected teens, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has suggested that all the individuals with age more than 12 years must go through HIV testing. Ten years ago, the suggestion was put forward by the CDC first. Still, as per the new studies, that have been conducted, the HIV testing among the younger people has not increased. Amongst the students of high schools, the HIV testing has remained on a low level. As per the survey, in 2005, only 20 percent, of the all the high school students who have ever had sex, were tested for HIV. And in 2013, the proportion rose up to be 22 percent only.

There are certain reasons which may be why the teenagers or the young adults do not want to get HIV testing. It has been very difficult for the pediatricians to initiate a conversation with teens about their sexual activities or the risks they are at every time they go out. There is also a number of teens who deny having any sort of sexual activity when asked by the doctor. Apart from that, HIV poses the fear of stigma in people when they are diagnosed. They fear, they might be treated as a disgrace. Even though, there are other infections which can be transmitted sexually like, chlamydia, HIV remains the horrifying one. This is one of the many reasons why the teens, young adults or their parents to resists the HIV testing. Other times, people hesitate to get HIV testing because they are afraid that they might be infected and the results would come up positive. Somehow, they want to ditch the reality.

Another reason for the young people to refuse to get HIV testing is because they fear that their confidentiality might get violated. Young people live out and about and they are more aware of the surroundings. Either they have seen people do it or they have done it themselves. They are aware that the confidentiality might get violated and the results might come out. The patients with HIV positive on their reports have dealt with so much in prior days, that no one now wants that information out in the open. Therefore, these young people do not want to go through HIV testing in the first place, so that there is no risk of going through the phase of discrimination. As per the reports, there have been breakdowns amongst the families due to the positive HIV result.