3. Promoting HIV Testing in Diverse Populations
Factors That Impede HIV Testing Among Latinos
As discussed in an earlier section [link to epidemiology module when available], Latino population groups are disproportionately affected by the US HIV epidemic: [CDC Latino fact sheet 2005]
- The rate of new infections among Latino men is more than twice that of white men.
- Latino MSM represent approximately 81% of new infections among all Latino men and nearly 20% among all MSM.
- Although Hispanic/Latino women represented 21%
of new infections among Latinos in 2006,
their rate of infection was nearly 4 times that of white women.
Two key challenges in encouraging increased HIV screening among Latino population groups are the reality that Latinos belong to a diversity of subpopulations (eg, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and others) [Espinoza 2008] and constitute the largest and fastest-growing minority group in the United States. [Census Bureau Hispanic - 2007] Therefore, effective and culturally competent HIV testing efforts to reach Latinos need to be widely and readily accessible to Hispanics and relevant to distinct subpopulations.
Challenges of providing HIV testing and prevention services to Latino populations can include the following issues: [CDC HIV Hispanics, Espinoza 2008, González Buchard 2005]
- Lack of health insurance
- Concerns about immigration status
- Migration patterns within the United States
- Language barriers
- Racial/ethnic discrimination
- Stigma associated with homosexuality and IDU
- Comparatively higher rates of poverty
- Inadequate education levels
In addition, behavioral risk factors for HIV infection and trends in diagnoses can vary by individuals’ and communities’ place of birth. [CDC HIV Hispanics, Espinoza 2008, Lopez-Quintero 2005]
