This year’s theme – Save a Life, It May be your Own. Get Tested for HIV – speaks to the critical role HIV testing and prevention education plays due to the late testing realities faced by Hispanic/Latino communities.  Data from the Center’s for Disease Control (CDC) shows that Hispanics/Latinos 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 blacks.

“We believe that personalizing the message of HIV testing and prevention will resonate in our communities. Hispanics/Latinos face so many health challenges including discrimination, language barriers, social stigma, poverty and as of late, tremendous anti-immigration sentiment. Through CENSUS 2010, we are reminded that Hispanic/Latinos are the fastest growing ethnic population and NLAAD’s vision is to develop and strengthen healthy communities,” stated Guillermo Chacón, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS.

Hispanics/Latinos represent 15.3% of the U.S. population, but account for 22.3% of the new HIV infections in the U.S. including Puerto Rico, according to the CDC. On a national level, this epidemic is nothing short of a public health crisis. NLAAD’s strength lies in raising awareness at the national, regional level but working at the grassroots, community level to provide testing and connecting people to care to some of our most vulnerable populations.

NLAAD recognizes the Office of Minority Health and Dr. Garth N. Graham, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health in the Office of Minority Health at the Department of Health and Human Services for their leadership and support.

Nationally you can obtain more information about HIV testing or find a testing location near you by calling the CDC hotline at 1-800-232-4636 or by visiting www.nlaad.org