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Published in:

01-07-2006 | Original Paper

Sexual and Drug Use Risk Behaviors among Children and Youth in Street Circumstances in Porto Alegre, Brazil

Authors: Fernanda Torres de Carvalho, Lucas Neiva-Silva, Mauro Cunha Ramos, Jennifer Evans, Sílvia Helena Koller, Cesar Augusto Piccinini, Kimberly Page-Shafer

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Special Issue 1/2006

Abstract

We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess sexual and drug use risk in 161 children and youth in street circumstances in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Median age was 14 and 79% were male. Overall, 59% reported ever having had sex; a significantly higher proportion of males (66%) compared to females (30%). Overall, 39% reported illicit drug use in the last year, and only 1.2% reported injection drug use. In multivariate analyses, correlates of unsafe sex included younger age of sexual debut, and having a steady sex partner. Independent correlates of illicit drug use included lack of family contact, increased hours in the street daily, having had an HIV test, and older age. A high proportion of children and youth in street circumstances reported high risk sex and drug exposures, confirming their vulnerability to HIV/STD. Services Centers, such as where this research was carried out, offer an opportunity for interventions.

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Title: Sexual and Drug Use Risk Behaviors among Children and Youth in Street Circumstances in Porto Alegre, Brazil
Authors: Fernanda Torres de Carvalho
Lucas Neiva-Silva
Mauro Cunha Ramos
Jennifer Evans
Sílvia Helena Koller
Cesar Augusto Piccinini
Kimberly Page-Shafer
Publication date: 01-07-2006
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: AIDS and Behavior / Issue Special Issue 1/2006
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-006-9124-4

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