When Jesus Salas moved to Florida to be with his husband, he thought it’d be easy to find HIV care. But that wasn’t the case. He only had a one-month supply of his HIV medication and Spanish-speaking specialists were hard to come by.
Language and cultural differences are barriers for many Latinos seeking HIV care. While new HIV diagnoses remained steady across the U.S. between 2018 and 2022, rates increased 19% among Latinos, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Stigma, racism and poverty are a few reasons for disparities in HIV diagnoses and treatment, according to the CDC.
“This is something that we should all take seriously, all of us, whether we’re Latino or not, because this is not just about ending HIV for Latinos — it’s about ending HIV for our nation, and we can’t do that if we don’t address the Latino epidemic,” said Dr.Vincent Guilamo-Ramos at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.
After months of uncertainty, Salas was recommended to Pineapple Healthcare Clinic, a Florida nonprofit that specializes in HIV care for Spanish speakers. The clinic provides financial assistance and, in most cases, free services and medication. Accessibility and comfort are a top priority for the clinic.
“It’s really important to educate on the stigma,” Pineapple Healthcare nurse practitioner Eliza Ortero told me in Spanish. “But [the clinic] also makes them feel comfortable in their own language and culture.”
Watch the video above to see how this HIV clinic is giving Latinos in Florida the care they need.
