October 15 is National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), a day to raise awareness of the impact of HIV on Hispanic/Latinx communities and work together to stop HIV stigma and promote HIV testing, prevention, and treatment. This observance is organized by the Latino Commission on AIDS, the Hispanic Federation, and other organizations, and it coincides with the last day of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

As of 2021, there were 29,890 Hispanic New Yorkers living with diagnosed HIV. While new diagnosis among Hispanic/Latinx New Yorkers has decreased from 1,139 in 2014 to 673 in 2021,  32% of all new HIV diagnoses in NYS are among Hispanic/Latinx NYers.  

In 2021, 82% of Hispanic New Yorkers newly diagnosed with HIV were linked to care within 30 days and 59% achieved viral suppression within 3 months of diagnosis. Hispanic New Yorkers newly diagnosed with HIV are less likely to be linked to care than Asian and White NYers and less likely to be virally suppressed within 3 months than Asian NYers. For a more detailed breakdown of new HIV diagnoses, explore the New Diagnoses Care Continuum.

HIV testing is the first step to knowing your status and accessing care and treatment. Hispanic NYers are among the most tested New Yorkers with 20.6% reporting being tested within the last 12 months (2021). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone aged 13-64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care, and more often for individuals with a higher risk of being exposed to HIV. You can find HIV testing sites near you by visiting gettested.cdc.gov or texting your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948), or buy an at home test at a pharmacy.  See more data on HIV testing in NYS here.

In addition to HIV testing, prevention is key to ending the HIV epidemic. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)can reduce the risk of HIV transmission from sex by approximately 99%. In 2021, 3,911 Hispanic NYers received PrEP prescriptions. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an option if you think you may have been exposed within the past 72 hours.  In 2021, 73 Hispanic NYers received PEP prescriptions. Visit this website to learn more about PEP and resources to obtain it. Access PrEP and find HIV care providers in NYS here. 

National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day is a day to raise awareness of the unique impact of HIV on  Hispanic and Latinx communities in New York State and the nation. New York State has made great strides in reducing new HIV infections and improving health outcomes of Latinx people who have HIV, and more work is needed to overcome the remaining gaps and challenges.