(ARA) - The AIDS epidemic is having a devastating affect on the U.S. Latino population. While Latinos represent 14 percent of the population as a whole, they make up 19 percent of about 40,000 new HIV infections each year. More alarming is that Latinos are delaying seeking treatment. As a result, HIV/AIDS is now the third leading cause of death among Latina women and second leading cause of death among Latino men.

"Latinos are diagnosed with HIV at a later stage than other racial groups," says Dr. Octavio Vallejo, a faculty member at the University of California, Los Angeles, Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center. "Then once diagnosed, language, perception of one's ability to take an active role in their care, and a host of other factors contribute to a delay in treatment," he explains.

Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins of the Hip Hop music sensation TLC, lost a friend to HIV/AIDS and says that people do not need to die unnecessarily. To spread this message and reinforce the work of the late Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, bandmate and AIDS activist who died in a car accident in 2002, Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas are lending their voices to "Dialogues: Education and Treatment for a Well Planned Future." "Dialogues" was created by health care professionals to empower people with HIV/AIDS -- particularly African Americans and Latinos -- to talk to their doctor and create a plan for living with the disease.

"You have to become involved in your own care because it's your life and it's worth it," says Thomas. "Don't be afraid to ask questions to understand what your doctor thinks you should do and why. Even if you think a question is ridiculous, so what, ask anyway."

Dennis de Leon, president of the Latino Commission on AIDS says, "Research has shown that people who take an active role in their treatment live longer, healthier lives. It's been difficult for Latinos with HIV because there haven't been many good, culturally sensitive, Spanish-language resources available."

"Dialogues" fills this void. The program delivers easy-to-understand, culturally sensitive HIV information in English and Spanish, on a range of key topics and offers quick reference materials like definitions of key medical terms and tips for managing side effects. Personal planner tools to log questions to ask your doctor, track instructions for taking medicines and develop a long-term treatment plan are also available as part of the program.

"Knowing how to talk to your doctor makes managing HIV that much easier," says Vallejo. "It ensures that patients get the treatment and care that's right for them."

"Dialogues" was created by a board of HIV experts and organizations including the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, the American Public Health Association and the National Association of AIDS Education & Training Centers in collaboration with Agouron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a Pfizer Company.

You can access "Dialogues" by calling toll free (800) 576-6600 or logging on to www.HIV-Dialogues.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content


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Courtesy of ARA Content