October 15 is National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), dedicated to raising awareness about the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on Hispanic/Latinx/Latiné communities. NLAAD was founded by the Hispanic Federation and the Latino Commission on AIDS (LCOA) in 2003 to draw attention to Hispanic/Latinx/Latine health disparities associated with HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care.
There are many terms that can be used to describe Hispanic, Latino, Latinx, and Latine identities. For the purposes of this toolkit and the accompanying infographic, AIDSVu will be utilizing “Hispanic/Latinx/Latine” communities.
In 2022, Hispanic/Latinx/Latine individuals accounted for nearly 1/3 of new HIV diagnoses, despite only comprising 19% of the U.S. population. Of these new diagnoses, 77% were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact, and 16% were attributed to heterosexual contact – a number notably higher than the 9% national proportion of HIV transmission through heterosexual contact.
Hispanic/Latinx/Latine men who have sex with men (MSM) have the highest number of new HIV diagnoses among any subpopulation, including all races/ethnicities of MSM and women who acquired HIV through heterosexual contact. Young Hispanic/Latinx/Latine MSM drive these new diagnoses, as individuals under 35 represented a significant majority of new HIV diagnoses among Hispanic/Latinx/Latine MSM in 2022.
Transgender individuals are also disproportionately impacted by HIV. From 2018 to 2022, transgender Hispanic/Latinx/Latine individuals saw a 42% increase in new HIV diagnoses.
Health disparities and social determinants of health (SDOH) play a significant role in the disproportionate impact of HIV on Hispanic/Latinx/Latine communities and can lead to poorer health outcomes for Hispanic/Latinx/Latine individuals diagnosed with HIV. These SDOH include:
- Poverty: 17% of Hispanic/Latinx/Latine individuals were living in poverty as of 2022 – a significantly higher percentage than the 13% of the U.S. population that currently lives in poverty.
- Lack of Medical Insurance: Nearly 18% of the Hispanic/Latinx/Latine population in the U.S. lack health insurance. In the entire U.S. population, 10% of people lack health insurance.
- Education: 28% of Hispanic/Latinx/Latine individuals in the U.S. do not have a high school education, compared to 11% of the entire U.S. population.
- Food Insecurity: 21% of Hispanic/Latinx/Latine individuals in the U.S. are living with food insecurity, compared to 13% of the U.S. population living with food insecurity.
Join AIDSVu in recognizing the impact of SDOH on access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care in Hispanic/Latinx/Latine communities on National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD).
