Mexico
With less than 1 percent of the adult
population estimated to be HIV positive,
Mexico has one of the lowest HIV prevalence
rates in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Although the overall HIV prevalence is low,
the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS estimated approximately 200,000
people were living with HIV/AIDS in 2007,
the second highest number in Latin America.
In 2007, there were 11,000 deaths due to
AIDS. The epidemic is concentrated in
populations at higher risk of exposure and
has not become generalized. Interventions
tailored to these groups can potentially
curtail transmission of the AIDS virus and
avert its spread to the population at large.
However, factors such as social stigma
related to HIV, homophobia, and gender
inequities continue to hamper the response.
USAID’s support focuses on primary prevention with those most at risk of contracting and spreading HIV. Activities include messages promoting and reinforcing behavior change, the development of education materials and campaigns designed for and pretested in target populations, and increased condom availability at nontraditional high-risk venues in several cities where migration, tourism, and commercial sex converge. Stigma remains a significant barrier to accessing HIV information, testing, and treatment for some of the groups most affected by HIV/AIDS. Therefore, USAID provides training and technical assistance in human rights, advocacy, and stigma reduction.
View the full USAID HIV/AIDS Health Profile for Mexico - September 2010 [PDF, 172KB]
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