HIV Prevention and Care Among Latino Communities

The burden of HIV among Latino populations remains disproportionately high across diverse settings, driven by a confluence of social, structural and cultural factors. Variations in HIV incidence and treatment outcomes emerge according to country of origin, immigration status and length of residence in host countries. Barriers such as limited English proficiency, fear of legal repercussions, stigma associated with HIV and sexual orientation, and inconsistent access to culturally and linguistically tailored health services impede timely diagnosis, linkage to care and sustained treatment adherence. Conversely, community-based interventions that engage trusted bicultural providers and leverage peer networks have shown promise in improving testing rates and retention in care. Innovations in digital health, social marketing and pre-exposure prophylaxis deployment are expanding the toolkit for prevention, while gender- and age-specific initiatives address unique vulnerabilities among women, men who have sex with men, youth and transgender individuals. Cross-border collaboration and data disaggregation by subpopulation are critical to refine strategies and reduce disparities in viral suppression and overall health outcomes.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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HIV Prevention and Care Among Latino Communities publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in hiv prevention and care among latino communities across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): A preventive strategy involving daily antiretroviral medication to reduce the risk of HIV acquisition in HIV-negative individuals.

Viral suppression: The reduction of HIV viral load in plasma to undetectable levels, indicating effective antiretroviral therapy and decreased likelihood of onward transmission.

Retention in care: Continuous engagement with HIV clinical services over time, encompassing scheduled visits, laboratory monitoring and medication refill adherence.

mHealth: The use of mobile and wireless technologies to support health objectives, including apps for education, self-testing and care linkage.

References

1. Sólo Se Vive Una Vez: Evaluation of a Social Marketing Campaign Promoting HIV Screening and Prevention for Immigrant Latinxs. AIDS and Behavior (2021).
2. HIV-related stigma among Spanish-speaking Latinos in an emerging immigrant city following the Solo Se Vive Una Vez social marketing campaign. PLOS ONE (2022).
3. A randomized controlled trial of an mHealth intervention for increasing access to HIV testing and care among young cisgender men and transgender women: the mLab App study protocol. BMC Public Health (2021).