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A new study by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention finds that Hispanic Americans are diagnosed with
HIV infection nearly three times as much as whites, but the rates and causes
differ by region.
Analyzing 2010 data from 46 states
and Puerto Rico, researchers found that at 55 per 100,000 individuals, the rate
of HIV diagnosis for Hispanics in the Northeast was more than twice that of any
other region in the United States. They also found that the largest percentage
of HIV diagnoses—35.4 percent—among Hispanics occurred in the South.
The report, published in the October
12 issue of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, noted that
male-to-male sex was the primary method of HIV transmission among Hispanics
overall, but for those living in the Northeast it was more likely that they
became infected through injection drug use. Hispanics in the Northeast were
also more likely to be of Puerto Rican descent, while those in other areas of
the country were more likely to be of Mexican or Central American descent.
According to researcher Qian An of
the Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention (DHAP) at CDC’s National Center for
HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention, these regional differences
point to the need for HIV testing, prevention, and treatment efforts to be
tailored to the unique needs of each area of the country.
The Friends of AIDS Foundation is
dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and
empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV
virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
