title: HIV-related risk behaviors among Roma youth in Serbia: results of two community-based surveys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The Roma constitute a large ethnic minority in Serbia, and are one of the poorest and most marginalized groups in Europe. Roma youth may be at high risk for hepatitis C, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections, but little is known about the prevalence of these infectious diseases, HIV-related knowledge, and risky sexual behaviors in this vulnerable population.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a respondent-driven sampling to conduct biobehavioral surveys of Roma youth (aged 15-24 years) in Belgrade and Kragujevac, and to document HIV-related knowledge and risky sexual behaviors, health-seeking behaviors, and seroprevalence of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and syphilis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four hundred eleven Roma youth participated in this study. One participant had HIV, four had HCV, and none had syphilis. Risky sexual behaviors were highly prevalent, especially among male subjects: 36.2% (Belgrade) and 45.1% (Kragujevac) had sexual debut before the age of 15 years; 53.9% (Belgrade) and 61.1% (Kragujevac) had more than one sexual partner in the past year; 11.5% (Belgrade) and 4.6% (Kragujevac) reported engaging in commercial sex; and 4.0% (Belgrade) and 3.2% (Kragujevac) reported having anal sex with other men. Among female subjects aged <25 years, 33.5% (Belgrade) and 25.7% (Kragujevac) reported having an abortion. One-quarter of all participants answered all five HIV knowledge questions correctly.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fortunately, the current prevalence of HIV, HCV, and syphilis is low; however, the high prevalence of reported risky behaviors suggests that Roma youth in Serbia are at high risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections.
authors: Laboratory for Anthropology, Institute of Anatomy, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Danijela
authors: D
authors: Djonic
authors: Marija
authors: M
authors: Djuric
authors: Farida
authors: F
authors: Bassioni-Stamenic
authors: Willi
authors: W
authors: McFarland
authors: Tanja
authors: T
authors: Knezevic
authors: Slobodan
authors: S
authors: Nikolic
authors: Vladimir
authors: V
authors: Zivkovic
authors: Snigdha
authors: S
authors: Vallabhaneni
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D006178:Romani People; D055771:Serbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D013587:Syphilis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000208:ethnology*; D055815:Young Adult