Comparing patterns of sexual risk among adolescent and young women in a mixed-method study in Tanzania: implications for adolescent participation in HIV prevention trials.

Introduction: Despite the disproportionate impact of HIV on women, and adolescents in particular, those below age 18 years are underrepresented in HIV prevention trials due to ethical, safety and logistical concerns. This study examined and compared the sexual risk contexts of adolescent women aged 15-17 to young adult women aged 18-21 to determine whether adolescents exhibited similar risk profiles and the implications for their inclusion in future trials.

Methods: We conducted a two-phase, mixed-method study to assess the opportunities and challenges of recruiting and retaining adolescents (aged 15-17) versus young women (18-21) in Tanzania.