Autumn, 1997, Vol. 4, No. 1

NINTH ANNUAL ADOLESCENT AIDS CONFERENCE

By Rebecca Nolind, SSA second-year administration student

On October 24, 1997, individuals convened at the Ninth Annual Adolescent AIDS Conference for a common cause; to learn ways to improve their work with adolescents who are affected by or infected with HIV/ AIDS. The conference, held at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, was attended by a wide array of health professionals. It was an invaluable opportunity to learn how HIV and AIDS affects adolescents, and to network with others in the field. The need for a gathering of this type is demonstrated by the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in youth. As of June 1997, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 2,953 adolescents ages 13-19 have been diagnosed with AIDS (CDC HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, 1997).

Most impressive about the conference was the comprehensiveness of the agenda. The keynote address was given by Dr. John Pottage, Jr., a physician in the Section of Infectious Diseases at the Medical Center. He gave an extensive lecture on medical aspects of HIV/ AIDS including issues of transmission, pathology, epidemiological trends, and an update on treatment.

Conference participants chose two workshops, from a possible six, to attend during the day. Three workshops covered the general topics of incarcerated youth, adolescent sexuality, and the HIV epidemic in Chicago. Two other workshops described local Chicago programs, and a third workshop presented a service model used with youth to reduce high-risk behavior. The Children's Place Program, located in Chicago, provides services for children and adolescents whose parents or care-givers are infected with HIV or AIDS, or who are infected themselves. Another workshop presented information on Prevention Case Management, a service model that is becoming increasingly popular with professionals who work with adolescents. The strength of this model is derived from the close relationship between the adolescent and the case manager. It is a relationship that revolves around a contract of clientidentified goals and focuses on the adolescent's strengths to enable healthy decisions and reduce the chance of contracting HIV.

A third workshop featured representatives from the Chicago HIV Risk Reduction Partnership for Youth program (CHRRPY). This is a relatively new program funded by a three year SPNS (Special Projects of National Significance) grant from HRSA . The program's three major objectives are to increase the number of youth ages 1219 years old being tested for HIV in Chicago, to use counseling and testing to reduce risk, and to identify youth who test positive for HIV and enroll them in a complete medical and psychosocial program that is provided free of charge. CHRRPY services are provided by peer health educators and outreach workers who "go where the youth are," and become a resource to adolescents in the community. The program is looking to build partnerships with agencies in the area who provide HIV education, counseling, and testing services for youth. Preliminary findings of the program's effectiveness will be available within a short time.

The conference also featured a panel presentation on HIV education in the Chicago Public Schools. Representatives from the Board of Education, Chicago Department of Public Health, Wells Academy, and DuSable High School discussed their involvement with health education in the public schools. The level of involvement ranged from policy development to hands-on work with adolescents. Revisions to the Family Life Education Program, the set of guidelines for this type of education, were discussed and a nurse from Wells Academy informed the group about the successful condom distribution program that has operated in the school since 1993. It is the only program of its kind in Chicago.

The Ninth Annual Adolescent AIDS Conference was a tremendous success. At the end of the day, the participants were more knowledgeable about how HIV/AIDS affects adolescents and had learned about what some of their colleagues in the field were doing. The fact that one in four of all new HIV infections in the U.S. are estimated to occur in young people between the ages of 13 and 20 (National AIDS Policy, 1996), provides strong incentive to put the knowledge to work. The true success of the conference will be measured in the impact that these professionals can have on improving services to adolescents and ultimately reducing rates of HIV and AIDS in this population.

References

CDC HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, 1997: 9, no.1.

National AIDS Policy, An American Agenda, March 1996.

Rebecca Nolind is a second-year administration student at SSA. Her field placement is at the American Medical Association, Department of Adolescent Health.

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