At what age is HIV screening recommended in adolescents?

• A. 12-14
• B. 14-16
• C. 16-18
• D. 18-21

Answer: (C)

Routine HIV screening in adolescents is guided by the goal of recognizing infection early so treatment can start promptly and transmission can be reduced. In practice, screening is offered as part of preventive care once adolescence has progressed into late teens, when youths often begin making independent health decisions and when screening is more routinely integrated into annual visits. Among the options given, the late teenage range best fits this approach, capturing the period when routine testing is commonly implemented in adolescent primary care. Therefore, the recommended window is late adolescence, around sixteen to eighteen years old.