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Hispanics & HIV Testing
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Bradenton Herald, June 6, 2003
Erin Ailworth
More Hispanics in Florida are getting tested for HIV each
year, using outreach programs such as Friday's National HIV
Testing Day. But many Hispanics still are uneasy talking about
HIV or getting tested, experts said.
According to the Florida Department of Health, Hispanics
comprise 17 percent of the state's population and 15 percent of
the more than 90,000 AIDS cases reported through December 2002.
Of more than 28,000 reported HIV cases, 16 percent were Hispanic.
While the percentage of Hispanics living with HIV/AIDS roughly
mirrors the population figures, experts said reaching the
community for testing is hard.
Besides lack of awareness, many Hispanics still think only
homosexuals and prostitutes get the disease, said Marisol Bruno,
community relations and marketing manager for the Orange County
Health Department. Homosexuality is a touchy subject because it
undercuts the macho-male image within the culture, said Bruno,
who is Puerto Rican.
Many Hispanics are Roman Catholic, and some do not believe
in birth control, such as using condoms, which also puts them at
higher risk for contracting the disease, experts said. State and
local organizations have expanded outreach and testing programs,
said Marlene LaLota, program administrator in the Bureau of
HIV/AIDS for the state health department. In conjunction with the
national effort, county health departments across Florida offered
free HIV tests Friday. The efforts have paid off LaLota said.
More than 51,500 Hispanics were tested last year, up from 46,000
in 2000. Still, she said, more can be done - especially to combat
the stigma.
source: CDC
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