A report recently released by the Centers for Disease Control shows that there is an increase in HIV diagnoses in the U.S. among Hispanic and Latino gay and bisexual men, the only demographic to experience an increase.
“30 years after this epidemic, and I’ve seen the worst at this a virus had to offer. I did not think we would be back to talking to our young gay and bisexual man and saying to them please protect yourself you’re at higher risk than anybody else,” said Oscar Lopez, Director of Education for the Valley AIDS Council.
According to statistics by the Centers for Disease Control, Hispanic/Latino gay and bisexual men accounted for 29% of HIV diagnoses among all gay and bisexual men.
“You know that Latino gay and bisexual men in particular are at highest risk because within our community of Latinos we don’t talk about sex in general and we definitely don’t talk about sexual minorities,” Lopez said.
About 2 out of 3 Hispanic/Latino gay and bisexual men with HIV being between the ages of 13 to 34.
But although diagnoses among this group are increasing, there are tools to counter the trend.
Including getting tested for HIV every six months, using condoms, and taking PrEP.
“It’s a blue pill you take one a day and you take it every day and as long as you do that it is very much like birth control it doesn’t prevent the pregnancy but it will protect you from getting infected with HIV,” Lopez said.
The Valley AIDS Council also emphasizes that although HIV diagnoses is increasing among Latino gay and bisexual men, they are not the only ones vulnerable to the virus, and that everyone should get tested.