Public Health Agency of Canada: HIV/AIDS Among Youth in Canada

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In general, youth (defined here as between 15 and 29 years of age) are vulnerable to HIV infection as a result of many factors, including risky sexual behaviour, substance use (including injection drug use) and lack of information or misinformation regarding HIV transmission. To adequately profile HIV and AIDS in the youth population, it is necessary to supplement current Canadian HIV/AIDS surveillance data with other relevant data sources, such as health surveys, incidence/prevalence studies and data on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This chapter provides an overview of the most recent HIV/AIDS surveillance data (both routine and enhanced) on Canadian youth as well as a summary of recent research on factors associated with HIV risk behaviour and HIV transmission.