Young people are at risk for contracting HIV and developing AIDS. According to the CDC, more than 40,000 young people ages 13 to 24 in the United States had been diagnosed with AIDS by the end of 2005. And the trend was increasing-from 3.9 percent diagnosed with AIDS in 1999 to 4.7 percent in 2003. [*]

Some populations are impacted more than others. African Americans ages 13 to 19 represent only 15 percent of the U.S. teenage population, but accounted for 66 percent of new AIDS cases in 2003. The reasons for this disparity are not completely understood. In fact, African American youth have lower rates of drug abuse than Whites and Hispanics. This remains a strong research priority area for NIDA. [**]

In general, middle and late adolescence is a time when young people engage in risk-taking and sensation-seeking behaviors. Regardless of whether a young person takes drugs, unsafe sexual practices increase a person's risk of contracting HIV. But drugs and alcohol can increase the chances of unsafe behavior by altering judgment and decision-making.

^* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS Surveillance in Adolescents, L265 Slide Series (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/graphics/adolesnt.htm, slides 8 & 9). Atlanta, GA: CDC, DHHS. Retrieved May 2007.

^** Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS Surveillance in Adolescents, L265 Slide Series (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/graphics/adolesnt.htm, slide 10). Atlanta, GA: CDC, DHHS. Retrieved May 2007.