Private MD News

Health agency targets high-risk group for HIV testing campaign

Category: HIV

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that members of the Latino community have significantly higher rates of HIV than individuals in other ethnic groups. For this reason, agencies are urging Latinos to seek HIV testing to help prevent the spread of the infection.

For example, a recent initiative launched by the health departments of Seattle and King County, Washington is aimed at Latinos as part of an effort to educate them about their risk and urge them to seek HIV testing, according to the Auburn Reporter.

Officials said that there are 750 Latinos living in the King County who are infected with the HIV or AIDS virus, many of whom received late diagnoses. Treatment is far less effective when it is started later in the progression of the disease. Additionally, a delayed diagnosis increases the risk of spread. This is why the agencies are targeting this population.

Marcos Martinez, the executive director of Entre Hermanos, an organization the health departments partnered with to promote the testing campaign, told the news source that the response from the community has been largely positive and that many people are now getting tested.