The Latino Commission on AIDS and Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals launched MenteCuerpoHAART.com, a Spanish-language web site for people living with HIV, according to a statement from Boehringer Ingelheim. The site went up last week in conjunction with National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, which was October 15.
More than 200,000 Latinos in the United States and Puerto Rico are living with HIV, and even though Latinos comprise about 15 percent of the U.S. population, they account for almost 17 percent of new infections.
MenteCueropoHaart.com was launched to help educate the community and provide culturally appropriate materials about the virus. It also provides information and tips on maintaining healthy mental, physical and emotional lifestyles.
“We face many health challenges in our communities,” said Guillermo Chacon, president of the Latino Commission on AIDS. “It is imperative that we respond to the HIV/AIDS crisis, perpetuated by social stigma, poverty, immigration status, fear, access to care and language barriers.”
The site will provide information for people living with HIV as well as health care providers and health educators. On the site, users will find basic facts and info about HIV, information on how to work with health care providers, information on HIV management resources such as patient assistance programs, and even videos with experts who offer tips on emotional well-being, physical health and therapy options.
Currently, the rate of new HIV infections among Latino men is more than double that of white men and the rate for Latina women is four times that of white women. The Latino Commission on AIDS is hoping that access to the right information will help slow down and eventually revere these trends.
For more information on the Latino Commission on AIDS, click here.
