Statistics on reported cases demonstrate clearly that AIDS is disproportionately prevalent among U.S. Latinos. To help clarify the meaning of this information, this article situates current epidemiological data within the sociocultural and socioeconomic contexts of Latinos living in the U.S. The purpose of this paper is to develop a fuller understanding of the Latino AIDS crisis by reviewing existing literature and new research findings on: (1) demographic, socioeconomic, and general health characteristics of the Latino population; (2) prevalence of the disease by Latino subgroup, geographic region, gender, age group, and route of transmission; (3) patterns of Latino knowledge, attitudes, and cultural understandings of the disease; and (4) AIDS risk behaviors among Latinos, including IV drug use, sexual patterns, and gender relations.
There have been various suggestions in both the mass media and in the social science literature that minority communities have not responded in a timely fashion to AIDS despite the disproportionate prevalence of the disease in these communities. A review of organizational response to AIDS in the Latino community, however, suggests that organizations at the local, regional, and natonal levels have overcome major hurdles, including lack of sufficient funding, to mount various kinds of AIDS prevention, counseling, support, and research programs. Additionally, this review suggests the need for increased support and involvement of Latino organizations in AIDS initiatives and the need for an expanded cadre of Latino researchers and health care providers.
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