Addressing HIV/AIDS Among Latinos Living In Utah

More than 56,000 Americans become infected each year with HIV/AIDS (CDC, 2009). Every 9½ minutes someone becomes infected with HIV (CDC, 2009). HIV/AIDS is topic that is not discussed by certain ethnicities/races. Latinos are one ethnicity/race that is affected more than others. In 2008, more than 111,400 Latinos died from AIDS in the US (CDC, n.d.). One in 36 Latino men and one in 106 Latina women will be diagnosed with HIV in their lifetime (CDC, n.d.). In 2011, Latinos were the second largest growing ethnicity making up 13.2% in Utah (US Census Bureau, 2012). That same year, Utah reported 94 HIV infections and 31 AIDS diagnosis cases among all ethnicities/races in Salt Lake County. (Utah Department of Health, 2011). Prior years show a steady increase among Latinos. In 2009, 13.4% of the total HIV/AIDS infections were among Latinos in Utah (CDC, n.d.). In the following year 2010, infections increased to 18.3% (CDC, n.d.). AIDS diagnosis cases increased 22% from 2010-2011 (CDC, n.d.). 83% were male in 2011 (CDC, n.d.). The largest age group increases were the ages of 20-29 year olds (CDC, n.d.). Information was not available for the 2012 year at the time when this project was started. Latinos are disproportionately affected due to socioeconomic and cultural factors. Some socioeconomic factors may include poverty, migration patterns, limited or no access to health care, and other reasons. Latinos avoid testing, counseling, or treatment due to fear of discrimination and perceived threat of deportation. Latinos tend to have stronger traditional gender roles. All these factors make discussing HIV/AIDS in the Latino community more difficult. Latinos are less likely to know about their HIV/AIDS status than other races (Rios-Ellis, et al., 2010). The HIV/AIDS infection rates continue to increase with the current educational programs in Salt Lake County. The purpose of my project is to develop an educational module for Communidades Unidas (CU) and Centro Hispano utilizing peer educators to increase HIV/AIDS awareness among the Latino population. HIV/AIDS peer education has been well documented as an effective means for increasing HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and promoting safe behaviors among persons at risk for infection (Khoat, West, Valdiserri, & Phan 2003). Community based interventions such as peer education are an effective way to disseminate information about HIV/AIDS to the Latino community in the Salt Lake County using community members. The objectives of my project will be to identify and build relationships with community organizations specific to the Latino population, inform the general Latino population about the rising HIV/AIDS statistic among the ages of 20-29 year old Latino men (gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with other men- MSM), and disseminate basic information regarding HIV to the larger Latino community. An article written in Spanish addressing the increasing HIV/AIDS rates among Latinos will be submitted to a local Spanish newspaper in the Salt Lake area to further disseminate HIV/AIDS awareness and information.