Manatee County Hosting Health Fair at Pride Park to Raise HIV Awareness Among Latinos
Abstract
There are at least 833 individuals with HIV in Manatee County, and in an effort to prevent that number from rising, the Manatee County Health Department is hosting “Fiesta de Salud” on October 13, a health fair targeted at Latinos, one of the most affected groups. Attendees will be offered a wide range of information in both English and Spanish about HIV, AIDS, and other medical conditions, as well as free health screenings. October 15 is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, but the county is hosting the fair on a Saturday to attract more people, according to Robert Merlosi, manager of Manatee County Health Department’s HIV and STD Prevention Program. Individuals who identify as Hispanic or Latino represented 20 percent of new HIV infections in 2009, according to the most recent data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC notes that these high rates are at least partly linked to lack of knowledge about the virus, poverty, and lower access to care.
Source
http://www.bradenton.com
Date of Publication
10/11/2012
Author
Miriam Valverde
Article Type
General media
Article Category
News Briefs
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