title: Personalized Biobehavioral HIV Prevention for Women and Adolescent Girls.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Women and adolescent girls bear a significant burden of the global HIV pandemic. Both behavioral and biomedical prevention approaches have been shown to be effective. In order to foster the most effective combination HIV-prevention approaches for women and girls, it is imperative to understand the unique biological, social, and structural considerations that increase vulnerability to acquiring HIV within this population.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this article is to propose novel ideas for personalized biobehavioral HIV prevention for women and adolescent girls. The central argument is that we must transcend unilevel solutions for HIV prevention toward comprehensive, multilevel combination HIV prevention packages to actualize personalized biobehavioral HIV prevention. Our hope is to foster transnational dialogue among researchers, practitioners, educators, and policy makers toward the actualization of the proposed recommendations.
  
  
  METHODS
  We present a commentary organized to review biological, social, and structural factors that increase vulnerability to HIV acquisition among women and adolescent girls. The overview is followed by recommendations to curb HIV rates in the target population in a sustainable manner.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The physiology of the lower female reproductive system biologically increases HIV risk among women and girls. Social (eg, intimate partner violence) and structural (eg, gender inequality) factors exacerbate this risk by increasing the likelihood of viral exposure. Our recommendations for personalized biobehavioral HIV prevention are to (1) create innovative mechanisms for personalized HIV risk-reduction assessments; (2) develop mathematical models of local epidemics; (3) prepare personalized, evidence-based combination HIV risk-reduction packages; (4) structure gender equity into society; and (5) eliminate violence (both physical and structural) against women and girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Generalized programs and interventions may not have universal, transnational, and crosscultural implications. Personalized biobehavioral strategies are needed to comprehensively address vulnerabilities at biological, social, and structural levels.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Equity Research, Center for Global Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, United States.
authors.forename: Bridgette M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Brawner
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Equity Research, Center for Global Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, United States.
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Teitelman
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Equity Research, Center for Global Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, United States.
authors.forename: Amanda W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Equity Research, Center for Global Women's Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, United States.
authors.forename: Loretta Sweet
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Jemmott
keywords: AIDS; HIV; Women's health; adolescent; prevention