New York, April 7, 2025 – The Latino Commission on AIDS and the Hispanic Health Network have released a critical report, HIV Trends and Inequities Among U.S. Hispanics, highlighting alarming increases in new diagnoses, stagnant viral suppression rates, and persistent geographic disparities. The report underscores the urgent need for comprehensive interventions to address structural inequities disproportionately impacting Hispanic communities across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. 

Over the past 15 years, HIV diagnoses among Hispanics have plateaued at high levels, with recent increases signaling a worsening crisis. Late-stage HIV and AIDS diagnoses remain prevalent, underscoring systemic failures in preventative care and early testing. The early gains in reducing HIV related to intravenous drug use (IDU) began stalling in the early 2010s. From 2019 to 2023, HIV diagnoses among Hispanics rapidly increased for women (49.5%), heterosexual men (24.3%), and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (30.2%).

In 2022, an estimated 284,630 Hispanics were living with HIV. HIV care retention and viral suppression rates have remained stagnant over the past five years. Alarmingly, one in four (26.8%) Hispanic people living with HIV (PLWH) did not receive medical care, and more than one in three (35.7%) had not achieved viral suppression.

“HIV prevention and care strategies must reflect the sociocultural diversity of our Hispanic communities while also addressing the geographic inequities in public health infrastructure that are negatively impacting health outcomes for all,” said Daniel Castellanos, DrPH, Vice President of Research and Innovation, at the Latino Commission on AIDS.

Persistent systemic barriers—including inadequate health insurance, limited access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), and a shortage of healthcare professionals—continue to restrict life-saving prevention services and HIV treatment. Yet 17.5% of Hispanics remain uninsured, with striking disparities by state, ranging from 4.9% in Hawaii to 31.0% in Tennessee. Even where Medicaid and other insurance options exist, many individuals face high premiums, insufficient coverage, difficulty navigating healthcare systems, and stigma surrounding preventative care.

“We must address HIV inequities not only in states with large Hispanic populations but also in emerging rural hotspots,” said Guillermo Chacón, President of the Latino Commission on AIDS and founder of the Hispanic Health Network. “Hispanics in the US are a critical part of our workforce. We must strengthen partnerships with communities, healthcare networks, healthcare professionals, and health policymakers so we can ensure access to care and positive health outcomes for all.”



For more information or to access the full report, please visit https://ilhe.org