AIDS advocates
focus on educating Mexican immigrants

AIDS advocates in New York City, alarmed at how little Mexican immigrants know about HIV and how to protect themselves from the virus, have launched educational campaigns targeting immigrants, The New York Times reports. A recent study by researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso, shows that risky behaviors, inadequate access to health care services, and a lack of knowledge about HIV puts Mexican immigrants at a high risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

New York City advocates are attempting to reach illegal immigrants that may be afraid of accessing traditional health services by reaching out to clients of sex workers, day laborers, people involved in service jobs, and women. They're also encouraging AIDS service providers that have Spanish-speaking staff members to also add staff that understand and can speak local dialects common in poor areas of Mexico, where many immigrants come from, and to speak about the importance of condom use with immigrants, who may have religious or cultural objections to condoms. (The Advocate)