Dana Benson713-798-8267

Undisclosed sexual behaviors put teens at risk

HOUSTON -- (November 18, 2009) -- Young men are not always forthcoming about their sexual identity and history, a disturbing trend that highlights the importance of condom use, according to a Baylor College of Medicine expert on sexual health.

Sexual health risk assessments of 18 male patients at the Baylor Teen Health Clinic who tested positive for HIV from 2007 to 2009 revealed that the majority have had sex with both men and women. However, they did not classify themselves as either gay or bisexual, said Dr. Ruth Buzi, director of social services at the clinic.

Deadly silence

"Homosexuality is stigmatized in some cultures, and many young men think it's easier to just keep quiet," Buzi said. "They are not comfortable being open about their sexuality, and they are definitely not sharing this information with their partners."

This puts women at an especially high risk for sexually transmitted infections and HIV, Buzi said.

"Many times, women don't feel empowered to insist on condom use, but they really must do this," she said. "We encourage women to always use condoms and, before even having sex, to initiate open conversations about their partner's sexual history and behavior."

Failure to relate

Another factor that contributes to young people engaging in risky behavior is that today's generation does not have the same personal experience with HIV/AIDs that many people had in the late 1980s and 1990s, when so many with the disease were dying.

"Teens and young men and women think they're invincible anyway, and on top of that, they don't view HIV/AIDS as a life-threatening disease because of the advances in treatment," Buzi said. "They need to be educated on this and other sexually transmitted infections and on adopting behavior that will reduce their risk."

The lack of openness about young men's sexual identity also points to the continued need for programs geared specifically to males, such as those at the Baylor Teen Health Clinic. These efforts encourage young men to take responsibility for their own health and educate them on the role they play in keeping their partners healthy.