rapid assessment of high-risk sexual behavior in street children of tehran

Background: street children, due to their living and working conditions, are exposed to various injuries, and part of these are caused or exacerbated by engaging in high-risk behaviors. this study aimed to explore the sexual behaviors and their risks in street children. methods: this study was conducted in 2012-2013 in tehran using a rapid assessment and response (rar) method. data were gathered from 289 street children (boys and girls), who were selected through time-location sampling (tls) method, and 16 interviews with key informants and 13 group discussions with street children who were selected through purposive and snowball sampling methods.results: among the study’s participants, 8.7% (95%ci: 5.3-11.8) reported a history of sexual abuse and 21.1% (95%ci: 16.4-25.8) had experienced sexual relations, in which, 37.7% of cases used sexual protection. conclusion: the present study confirms the vulnerability of street children, the negative effects of environmental factors, and behavioral determinants of health and well-being. further, it emphasizes the need for effective health interventions, particularly education and social support.