As we mark the end of Hispanic Heritage Month and continue celebrating LGBT History Month, it is important to recognize that HIV/AIDS is still with us and that it is still killing our loved ones.
The first reported AIDS cases in the U.S. occurred 30 years ago, and there are now more than one million Americans living with AIDS or the virus that causes it, HIV; 200,000 of them are Latino. A look at the numbers for the Latino community paints a sobering picture of the epidemic.
- In 2006, Hispanic men made up three-quarters (76%) of new infections among all Hispanics. The rate of new infections among Latino men was more than double that of White men (43/100,000 vs. 20/100,000).
- In 2006, Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) represented 72% of new infections among all Latino men, and nearly 19% among all MSM in general. Among Latino MSM, 43% of HIV cases occurred in those under age 30, and the remaining 57% cases occurred in Latino MSM aged 30 or older.
- While Hispanic women represented one-quarter (24%) of all new infections among Hispanics in 2006, their rate of HIV infection was nearly four times that of White women (14.4/100,000 vs. 3.8/100,000).
Reaching Latino MSM is especially crucial. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention points out that in five different studies of gay and bisexual men in the U.S., Hispanics were reported to have the highest rates of unprotected male-to-male sexual contact. Some HIV/AIDS advocacy groups have started to focus their efforts on the Latino community. HIV Big Deal recently launched "Preguntame/Dime," a Spanish-language prevention video that centers on a fellow named Josh and how he decides to disclose his HIV status to his partners.
The story takes place in New York City, considered to be the epicenter of the epidemic. Indeed, a HuffPo Latino Voices article over the weekend reported:
According to the New York City HIV/AIDS Annual Surveillance Statistics, in 2009 there were 1,175 Latinos diagnosed with HIV and 283 diagnosed with AIDS out of 3,669 patients.That year 568 Hispanics died from HIV or AIDS [in New York City], of a total of 1,600. Only the rates among African Americans were higher, with 50.4 percent of diagnosed cases and 52.4 percent of deaths.
Watch Preguntame/Dime after the jump:
Another group, TheBody.com, has created a bilingual website that serves as a complete online HIV/AIDS resource designed to educate Latinos. There are interviews with Latinos currently living with HIV/AIDS as well as other personal stories of families and individuals who have been affected by the epidemic. According to HuffPost Latino Voices, TheBody.com initiatives are focused on educating the Latino community, reducing stigma, and encouraging everyone to get tested.
With more open dialogue, we can help slow the rate of infection in and focus on prevention in the Hispanic community. The only way to start, however, is to get tested. Knowledge is power!