Objective:

To determine the influence of vulnerability factors to HIV/AIDS on sexual risk behaviors in adolescents.

Method:

Predictive correlational cross-sectional study. Stratified random sample of 1000 adolescents from public schools in a locality of Bogotá-Colombia. A model of structural structures was estimated that demonstrated the effects of vulnerability factors to HIV/AIDS on sexual risk behaviors (VAS-CSR scale), controlling the variables: alcohol consumption, number of sexual partners, beginning of sexual life and age.

Results:

Regarding risky sexual behaviors, the presented model: an adequate fit; explains 31% of the variance; reported direct effect of: sexual health education, school sexual education, emotional expression at school, sexual relations for love of the partner, partner abuse, alcohol consumption, beginning of sexual life, number of sexual partners; and mediating effect of: emotional expression at school, sexual health education, and sexual relations for love of the couple.

Conclusions:

Adolescent sexual risk behaviors are explained with five factors of vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and three control variables. Future studies should occur in causal factors and mediators that strengthen the evidence of causality and in intervention on risky sexual behaviors controlling the predictor variables.

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