Individual and Neighborhood Correlates of HIV Testing Among African American Youth Transitioning from Adolescence into Young Adulthood

Abstract

Disparities in HIV testing rates exist among socially disadvantaged communities. Using a longitudinal sample of urban African American youth followed from adolescence into young adulthood (n = 396; 51% female), we examined whether HIV testing was associated with individual (e.g., gender, socioeconomic status [SES], education, and history of sexually transmitted infections [STIs]) and area (i.e., neighborhood disadvantage and HIV prevalence) characteristics. In our multilevel regressions, we found females were more likely to have tested for HIV, with the magnitude of this association increasing if they lived in areas of greater disadvantage yet decreasing in higher HIV prevalence areas. Those without a high school degree, with a lower SES, or with a history of STIs in adolescence were less likely to test if they lived in greater disadvantage and HIV prevalence areas. We discuss the implications of these findings from an ecological perspective and propose recommendations for increasing testing among African American youth.