Madres Unidas

On Saturday, August 13, 2011, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health (OWH), in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other federal agencies will host the 2nd National HIV and Violence Against Women Conference (HVAWC). This year's conference theme is: The Urgency to Integrate is Now!: "Improving the Coordination of HIV & Violence Against Women Services".

Did you know?

• Latina women are the fastest growing populations infected with the HIV virus.
• Currently, Latinos account for 46% of all AIDS cases in Orange County.
• Heterosexual transmission accounted for 46% of AIDS cases prior to 1998 but accounts for 58% of cases in recent years.
• The 20-44 year age group represents 39% of the County's population, yet this group accounts for 76% of all County AIDS cases.
• Girls now make up 57% of people aged 13-19 infected with HIV.
  
  

Many parents hesitate when it comes to discussing underage drinking and/or sexual behavior with their adolescents. Perhaps they are embarrassed or feel that their daughters or sons are not at risk. According to data from a Monitoring the Future national survey, about 75% of teens try alcohol before graduating from high school. The harsh reality is that many young people and parents are uninformed about how powerful a drug alcohol can be. Being under the influence can lead to mayn poor choices; among 15-17 year olds, 51% say that they are personally concerned that they might "do more" sexually than they planned to because they were drinking or using drugs. Approximately four million teens contract a sexually transmitted disease (STD) each year. Among youth, minorities and teen girls have been particularly hard hit by HIV/AIDS.

HIV and AIDS were originally thought to affect mostly gay men. However, women have always been affected too. And even though more men than women have HIV, women are catching up. In fact, if new HIV infections continue at their current rate worldwide, women with HIV may soon outnumber men with HIV.

The good news is that many women with HIV are living longer and stronger lives. With proper care and treatment, many women can continue to take care of themselves and others.

In some respects HIV and AIDS affect women in almost the same way they affect men. For example:

• Women of color (especially African American women) are the hardest hit.
• Younger women are more likely than older women to get HIV.
• AIDS is a common killer, second only to cancer and heart disease for women.

How are women getting HIV?

The most common ways are (in order)

     1.  having sex with a man who has HIV

     2.  sharing injection drug works (needles, syringes, etc.) used by someone with HIV

En Español:

Datos brevos

En el 2006, los hispanos o latinos representaron el 17% de las nuevas infecciones por el VIH en los Estados Unidos

De las nuevas infecciones por el VIH en los hombres hispanos o latinos durante el 2006, el 72% se presento en hombres que tienen relaciones sexuales con hombres.

Uno de cada 36 hombres hispanos o latinos recibira un diagnostico de VIH en algun momento de su vida, al igual que una de cada 106 mujeres hispanas o latinas.

• Las mujeres hispanas o latinas tienan mas probabilidades de infectarse por el VIH como resultado de las relaciones sexuales con hombres. Las mujeres hispanas o latinas pueden desconocer los factores de riesgo de su pareja masculina o no saber identificarlos adecuadamete. En 5 estudios diferentes sobre hombres homosexuales y bisexuales en los Estados Unidos, los hispanos o latinos reportaron tener las tasas mas altas de contactos sexuales entre hombres sin proteccion.
• El consumo de drogas inyectables continua siendo un factor de riesgo entre los hispanos o latinos, especialmente para los wue viven en Puerto Rico. Los usuarios ocasionales y cronicos de sustancias estupefacientes tienen mas probabilidades de adoptar conductas sexuales de alto riesgo, tales como las relaciones sexuales sin proteccion, cuando estan bajo la influencia de las drogas o el alcohol.
• Tener ciertas enfermedades de transmision sexual (ETS) puede aumentar en forma significativa las posibilidades de una persona de contraer la infeccion por el VIH. Las personas que tienen la infeccion por el VIH y ciertas ETS tienen mayor posibilidad de infectar con el VIH a otras personas. Las tasas de ETS permanecen altas entre los hispanos o latinos.
• Los factores socioeconomicos como las pobreza, los patrones migratorios, las estructuras sociales, o las barreras del idioma contribuyen a aumentar las tasas de infeccion de los hispanos o latinos. Entre los problemas asociados al estado socioeconomico se encuentran el desempleo, la transitoriedad, la falta de educacion formal, el estado migratorio, el seguro medico inadecuado y el acceso limitado a atencion medica de calidad.

Collaborative Partners

Orange County Probation

• Juvenile Hall -- Unit Q
• Los Piños Detention Camp
• Youth Guidance Center
• Youth Resource Centers

Orange County Department of Education

• Wilshire Teen Mothers Program

Orange County Sheriff's Department

• Santa Ana Women's Jail