Pop quiz: If the following quotes described your situation, should you get tested for HIV?
- “We were kinda drunk.”
- “I only get down with women.”
- “His Grindr said he was negative.”
- “He said he was allergic to latex.”
Answers: Yes, yes, yes and yes! Get tested for HIV in each of these scenarios.
You may have seen these questions posed on social media posts. They’re part of a campaign for National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (#NLAAD), which is marked every October 15. This year’s theme is “Should I get tested for HIV? Yes!”
In addition to promoting HIV testing, the campaign offers more insights about HIV transmission and healthy sexual relationships. For example, some campaign spots note, “Keep in mind that not everyone knows or discloses their HIV status on dating apps. 14% of Hispanics living with HIV don’t know they have it.” Another spot adds, “Alcohol and drugs can lower your inhibitions and lead you to have unprotected sex, inclureasing your risk of getting HIV.”
Launched in 2003 and spearheaded by the Latino Commission on AIDS (LCOA) and the Hispanic Federation, the awareness day draws attention the HIV epidemic among Latinos, one of the few population groups in the United States experiencing an increase in HIV cases.
Local HIV organizations and advocates amplify NLAAD to promote their services and raise awareness.
“In 2025, NLAAD centers its efforts on HIV testing, recognizing it as a critical step in ending the epidemic,” write the organizers in a press statement. “An estimated 170,000 people in the United States are living with HIV and unaware of their status. This gap in diagnosis delays access to life-saving treatment and increases the risk of unknowingly transmitting the virus. By promoting testing, NLAAD aims to raise awareness, reduce stigma and empower individuals to take control of their health.”
| El alerta a las comunidades hispanas: ¿Debería hacerme la prueba del VIH? ¡Sí! | #New York #SondeoRDNews #RD El movimiento Día Nacional Latino de Concientización sobre el Sida (NLAAD) fue creado en 2003 por la Comisión Latina sobre el Sida (Latino Aids) y la Federación Hispan
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— Sondeo RD News (@sondeordnews.bsky.social) October 12, 2025 at 2:53 PM
Judith Montenegro, director of Latinos in the South, added, “National Latino AIDS Awareness Day underscores the urgent need to address the structural barriers that keep Southern Latinx communities from equitable access to HIV prevention and care, Federal and state policies that restrict healthcare access and underfund prevention efforts only deepen these disparities. NLAAD is an opportunity to advocate for systemic change to ensure Latinx communities in the South have the resources and tools they need to access health care”
“This year, NLAAD is focusing on HIV testing because it’s the first and most important step in ending the epidemic,” said Luis Mares, director of community mobilization at the Latino Commission on AIDS. “There are still around 170,000 people in the U.S. living with HIV who don’t know it. If we don’t know our status, we can’t get the care we need or protect others. Testing opens the door to treatment, prevention, and peace of mind—and that’s what we want for our communities,”
AIDSVu.org, an interactive site that creates maps and charts from HIV data, offers more details about the intersection of HIV and Latino communities. Writing about NLAAD 2025, AIDSVu notes:
Key Facts
- In 2023, there were 39,182 new HIV diagnoses in the U.S.
- Hispanic/Latinx people accounted for 32% of new HIV diagnoses, despite making up only about 19% of the U.S. population.
- Among Hispanic/Latinx individuals diagnosed with HIV (2022 data, most recent available by transmission category): 77% were attributed to male-to-male sexual contact; 16% to heterosexual contact
In 2023, HIV care continuum outcomes showed:
- 8% of newly diagnosed individuals were linked to care
- 3% of people living with diagnosed HIV received care
- 2% achieved viral suppression
PrEP Use
- PrEP use is growing: Between 2022 and 2023, the number of PrEP users increased by 17% nationwide.
- In 2024, more than 591,000 people were using PrEP, with a national PrEP-to-Need Ratio (PnR) of 15.6 (about 16 PrEP users for every new HIV diagnosis).
PrEP Disparities persist
- Hispanic/Latinx people represented 31% of new HIV diagnoses but only 18% of PrEP users.
- Black people accounted for 39% of new diagnoses but just 14% of PrEP users.
- White people made up 24% of new diagnoses but 64% of PrEP users.
- Regional inequities: In 2024, the South accounted for 53% of new diagnoses but only 39% of PrEP users, with the lowest regional PnR (12).
Social Determinants of Health
HIV prevention and care outcomes in Hispanic/Latinx communities are shaped by broader social and structural factors, including:
- Access to healthcare: Lack of insurance, language barriers, and limited culturally competent care providers restrict access to prevention and treatment.
- Economic barriers: Higher rates of poverty, unstable housing, and employment insecurity can disrupt consistent HIV care.
- Immigration and stigma: Fear of disclosing HIV status, immigration concerns, and stigma around both HIV and sexual orientation can prevent individuals from seeking care.
- Geography: Many Hispanic/Latinx individuals live in the South, where HIV rates are highest and prevention resources are most limited.
National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day 2025 is a reminder that addressing HIV inequities requires sustained investment and culturally tailored strategies.
For related news and inspiring stories in POZ and our sister publications, click #Latino. And be sure to check out the current issue of POZ. It includes the cover story “Staying Positive in Challenging Times,” which profiles transgender advocate Arianna Lint. Also in the issue is the feature “The Importance of AIDS in Modern Stories,” an interview with poet and writer Andrés N. Ordorica.
And our recent POZ Focus highlights Latino men and HIV. The cover story, “Latinos Living With HIV Can Have Joy,” follows two men’s journey with HIV, family and U=U.
Click here to learn more about 2025 HIV and AIDS awareness days, and click here for a printable poster.
