AIDS Knowledge, Perceived Risk and Prevention among Adolescent Clients of a Family Planning Clinic

In a survey that measured AIDS knowledge, perceived risk and prevention among 404 sexually active adolescent women who were family planning clinic patients in Baltimore, knowledge about AIDS was high, with the average respondent answering seven out of nine questions correctly. Slightly more than half of the teenagers reported some degree of perceived risk that they could get AIDS. However, perceived AIDS risk was not predictive of condom use at last intercourse. The strongest predictor of condom use was having asked a partner to use one, suggesting that adolescent women may exert a greater influence on condom use than has been previously assumed. The analyses result in recommendations that personalized AIDS prevention programs be integrated into family planning programs, that adolescent clients be advised to use condoms with spermicides, and that they be assisted in acquiring the social skills needed to negotiate condom use with partners.