ABSTRACT
Every year, millions of American adolescents are infected with STDs, including HIV. The personal, social, and economic consequences of adolescent STD infection are substantial. Fortunately, school-based, individually-focused, and community-level educational and sexual risk reduction interventions can help prevent the spread of STDs among adolescents. However, very little is known about the economic efficiency, or cost-effectiveness, of such programs. Because funding for HIV/STD prevention programs is limited, health departments and other decision makers need accurate information about the cost-effectiveness of various prevention programs to help them appropriately target spending. This study: (1) reviews the magnitude of the multiple STD epidemics among adolescents; (2) describes selected STD prevention interventions that have been shown to be effective at reducing adolescents' risk for contracting STDs; and (3) discusses the cost-effectiveness of these programs, using what is known about the economic efficiency of HIV/STD prevention programs for adults as a guideline, and taking into account factors unique to the adolescent population.