Adolescent sexual health.

on risky sexual behaviors. They are often perceived as allies for health in a population that rejects authority by virtue of its developmental stage. Public health nurses need to be in the forefront in the development of creative new strategies to promote healthy sexual behavior among adolescents. Teens are initiating sexual intercourse at younger ages than ever before, and adolescent sexual activity frequently occurs without any form of protection, as evidenced by the estimated annual rate of 1 million teen pregnancies.2 AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) represents a serious health threat for adolescents. About 20% of known AIDS cases are in the 21-29 year age group. Because of the latency of the onset after exposure,