LatinaLista — For anyone who is afflicted with AIDS/HIV or families who have loved ones with it, every day serves as another day learning about and living with the disease.
Data from the Center’s for Disease Control (CDC) shows that Latinos/Hispanics progress to AIDS faster than any other racial or ethnic group with 42% being diagnosed with AIDS within 12 months after learning of their positive HIV status compared to 34% late diagnosis among white non Hispanic and 35% among African Americans.
The goal of the Latino Commission on AIDS is to make more people aware of HIV/AIDS. So in keeping with this year’s theme of Save a Life, It May be your Own. Get Tested for HIV , a new and fully bilingual National Latino AIDS Awareness Day web site was launched.
Observed on October 15, the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, National Latino AIDS Awareness Day has focused on educating the public about the impact of AIDS/HIV on the Latino community.
With the new website, in addition to providing the usual information to readers — defining and recognizing HIV/AIDS, where to go to get tested, tips for living with HIV, etc. — the primary focus is to provide resources and materials for organizations and non-profits to access and download on how to fundraise and create awareness campaigns in their local Latino communities.
The web site’s creation aligns with the new National HIV/AIDS Strategy:
