One out of every four gay and bisexual Latinx men will develop HIV in their lifetime if the current rates continue. Rodriguez expresses the importance of being an ally to the community to support other MSM (Men having Sex with Men) that are HIV+. “Stand up for the community even when they are not around by not allowing an AIDS joke to fly by, and really standing up to people because I consider that bullying. I’ve always taken that personally because to me it’s not someone else, it’s my aunt,” says Rodriguez.“Once we start stripping away the power people have given HIV/AIDS as a shaming tool, we’re going to step closer towards actually being able to eradicate this disease within our lifetime.” He expresses that the best thing we can do for those who have the disease is to be present, and just listen. It’s simple things like taking them to the doctor’s office that can make a huge difference in their lives.
“The number of patients with infections is declining, yet Latinx are increasing by 20%,” says Dr. Edwin DeJesus, Medical Director of the Orlando Immunology Center (OIC) in Orlando, Florida. Black and Latinx men are also twice as likely to miss their doses than other groups. Dr. DeJesus explains that this is due to mostly socioeconomic factors.
Many black and Latinx families tend to hold a stigma against those with HIV/AIDS, so those who are diagnosed don’t feel comfortable taking the medications in front of their families. In addition to this, many Black and Latinx men that are HIV positive have schedules which do not allow them to take medication on time, whether it be due to work, taking care of family members or out of fear of someone possibly seeing.
Dr. DeJesus explains that HIV patients must be honest with their doctors with how they take their medicine so that they can help patients modify a regimen that is more suitable for them. He expresses the importance of those who are diagnosed with HIV to take their medicine regularly or they will develop a resistance to the medicine and it will no longer be effective.
If you or a loved one is concerned for their health visit cdc.gov for information about the disease. To learn more about the movement, visit PositivelyFearless.com.