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From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2006 findings:

• Latinos account for 19% of new AIDS diagnoses.
• Latina females account for 15% of all females living with HIV/AIDS.
• Latino children account for 19% of the 6,703 children who were living with HIV/AIDS who were diagnosed before the age of 13.
• For Latina females, the most common method of transmission is high-risk heterosexual contact.
• Of all the rates of AIDS diagnosed for adults/adolescents of all races/ethnicities, the second highest was the rate for Latinos.

From The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation HIV/AIDS Policy Fact Sheet, May 2008:

• Latinas represent 22% of AIDS cases diagnosed among all Latinos in 2006; compared to White women who represented 15% of cases among Whites.
• The AIDS case rate per 100,000 among Latinas is 5 times higher than the case rate for White women.
• Although Latinos represent 18% of U.S. young adults in 2005, they accounted for 22% of new AIDS reported among young adults.

In 2006 there were over 21,000 Latinos estimated to be living with AIDS in the state of New York. Over 18,000 Latinos in California, close to 11,000 in Puerto Rico, and over 8,000 in Texas and Florida. Almost half of Latinos living in the United States feel AIDS is becoming an increasingly vital problem within the community, more so than in recent years…So why do the numbers keep rising?Lack of health care is a major factor, agreed but for a community that is fully aware of its impact, it is still a subject that is not being discussed. If no one is admitting they have the disease, if no one is talking about getting tested, if no one’s asking questions, then no one’s answering them. Yet a third of people who have HIV are not aware they’re infected.

On October 15th, it’s time to reverse the trend. Make a stand on National Latino AIDS Awareness Day and actually become aware. Do it for yourself, talk to your friends about it, open up the discussion with your family and know that it’s okay to stand up for yourself. It’s a matter of love and self respect. Your life depends on it. Know this: It is 2008 and there is no cure for HIV/AIDS; there is no vaccine for HIV/AIDS. The only way to prevent the disease is to abstain. If you’re not going to abstain, use a condom. Don’t become a statistic. Love your life. GET TESTED.

For information on testing locations, resources, etc. please check visit: National Latino Aids Awareness Day, Latino Commission on AIDS, and National HIV and STD Testing Resources.