Structural factors associated with an increased risk of HIV and sexually transmitted infection transmission among street-involved youth.
BACKGROUND
The prevalence of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among street-involved youth greatly exceed that of the general adolescent population; however, little is known regarding the structural factors that influence disease transmission risk among this population.


METHODS
Between September 2005 and October 2006, 529 street-involved youth were enroled in a prospective cohort known as the At Risk Youth Study (ARYS). We examined structural factors associated with number of sex partners using quasi-Poisson regression and consistent condom use using logistic regression.


RESULTS
At baseline, 415 (78.4%) were sexually active, of whom 253 (61.0%) reported multiple sex partners and 288 (69.4%) reported inconsistent condom use in the past six months. In multivariate analysis, self-reported barriers to health services were inversely associated with consistent condom use (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.25 - 1.07). Structural factors that were associated with greater numbers of sex partners included homelessness (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] = 1.54, 95%CI: 1.11 - 2.14) and having an area restriction that affects access to services (aIRR = 2.32, 95%CI: 1.28 - 4.18). Being searched or detained by the police was significant for males (aIRR = 1.36, 95%CI: 1.02 - 1.81).


CONCLUSIONS
Although limited by its cross-sectional design, our study found several structural factors amenable to policy-level interventions independently associated with sexual risk behaviours. These findings imply that the criminalization and displacement of street-involved youth may increase the likelihood that youth will engage in sexual risk behaviours and exacerbate the negative impact of resultant health outcomes. Moreover, our findings indicate that environmental-structural interventions may help to reduce the burden of these diseases among street youth in urban settings.
Marshall
Brandon D L
BD
British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St, Paul's Hospital, 608 - 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 1Y6, Canada.
Kerr
Thomas
T
Shoveller
Jean A
JA
Montaner
Julio S G
JS
Wood
Evan
E
D000293:Adolescent; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018562:Disease Transmission, Infectious / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000635:transmission; D018453:Homeless Youth / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D047568:Unsafe Sex; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult