Youth living with HIV/AIDS

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comments and attitudes—often made by unknowing friends and family—can have a profound
effect on you. In response to this overwhelming oppression and homophobia, many lesbians,
gay men and bisexuals use alcohol and drugs to cope.
A subgroup within this group, which has been identified as being at high risk of HIV infection,
is young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Among males ages 13 to 19, 41 per cent of AIDS
cases and 52 per cent of HIV cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) in 1997 were among YMSM and YMSM injecting drug users [29].
In a 1996 study, 38 per cent of YMSM reported having unprotected anal sex, and 27 per cent
reported having unprotected receptive anal sex [30].
One in four YMSM is forced to leave home because of his sexual orientation, up to half of these
youth resort to prostitution to support themselves—greatly increasing their risk for unprotected
sex [31]. Perceived invulnerability is characteristic of youth but is especially problematic for YMSM,
considering their risk for HIV and their lower rates of safer sex as compared to older gay males
Youth living with HIV/AIDS
Youth living with HIV/AIDS are a group with very specific needs, which are different from other
groups, considering this is a group who has already contracted the HIV virus. This group needs
efforts in treatment and care and in reducing stigma related to PLWHA (People living with HIV/
AIDS). Issues of this group are discussed in chapter 2, under “HIV positive youth”.