This Monday the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a recommendation that youth ages 16-18 years old should be screened for HIV even if they do not indicate they are sexually active and live within a population where more than 0.1% of the population is believed to have HIV. The AAP previously issued a similar recommendation that youth ages 16-18 years old who admitted sexual activity should be screened. Despite the existence of the previous recommendation, this additional recommendation is important because it will increase access to testing for youth who may be sexually active but for a variety of reasons feel uncomfortable disclosing that they are.

For this reason, the recommendation is especially important to LGBT youth because they may be even more unwilling to report sexual activity to a provider if they do not feel it is safe for them to do so due to stigma, perception of provider's attitudes toward LGBT people or fearfulness of disclosure to parents.

Along with affecting many communities throughout the country, the recommendation will affect youth here in in Monroe county, including Rochester, because the region has a high enough rate of HIV infection that it meets the 0.1% prevelance rate.

Since many youth in this region do not regularly receive primary care, it is uncertain what this recommendation will mean in the day to day lives of Rochester youth.  However, youth who currently receive care either through a physician or an institution will likely be affected by these recommendations. In addition, while it is still unclear if area hospitals will adopt this recommendation, if they do youth who receive emergency care services may also receive HIV testing even if they do not disclose sexual activity.

Allowing youth to be tested without having to disclose sexual activity will hopefully provide opportunities who youth who feel uncomfortable or unsafe revealing sexual activity to get tested and to hopefully learn their status sooner. Following this recommendation may move the region one step closer to "Popping the Bubble" of youth HIV and other STD rates.

What are your thoughts on the recommendation? Do you think it will change HIV rates among youth in this region?

*Click here for information on FREE HIV testing at AIDS Care*