More people in communities of color are contracting, living with, and being treated for HIV/AIDS than ever before. In 2005, 71% of new AIDS cases were diagnosed in people of color. The rate of HIV infection in the African-American community alone has increased from 25% of total cases diagnosed in 1985 to 50% in 2005. Latinos similarly comprise a disproportionate segment of the AIDS epidemic: though they make up only 14% of the U.S. population, 20% of AIDS cases diagnosed in 2004 were Latino/a. Though the number of racial and ethnic minority HIV/AIDS cases continues to grow, the health care community has been unable to adequately meet the unique medical needs of these populations. African-American, Latino/Latina, and other patients of color are less likely to seek medical care, have sufficient access to the health care system, or receive the drugs they need for as long as they need them. HIV/AIDS in Minority Communities acknowledges the prevalence of HIV/AIDS within minority communities in the U.S. and strives to educate physicians about the barriers to treatment that exist for minority patients. By analyzing the main causes of treatment failure and promoting respect for individual and cultural values, this book effectively teaches readers to provide responsive, patient-centered care and devise preventive strategies for minority communities. Comprehensive chapters contributed by physicians with extensive experience dealing with HIV/AIDS in minority communities cover issues as far-reaching as: anti-retroviral therapy; dermatologic manifestations and co-morbidities of the disease in patients of color; unique risks to women and MSMs of color; participation of minority cases in HIV research; and substance abuse and mental health issues.

This book builds upon its previous edition by comprehensively updating important epidemiologic and clinical content of the HIV continuum amongst Black and Latino individuals of the United States, including the epidemiology, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HIV within these diverse communities. Illuminating current diagnostic and prevention considerations, as well as its evidence base, the text highlights important concepts and integrates critical aspects of the structural and social environment, such as mass incarceration and neighborhood-level disadvantage, that compromise our ability to decrease HIV risk and improve outcomes. Discussion regarding significant predictors of health inequity, including discrimination, medical mistrust, and stigma, specifically homophobia and transphobia, are included. The book also reviews the impact of significant advances in HIV prevention, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), within Black and Latino communities. Written by experts in their field, this second edition of HIV in US Communities of Color is a comprehensive and dynamic resource for all health care providers who support the care and treatment of Black and Latino individuals at risk for or living with HIV.

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.