In 2004, AIDS was the 4th leading cause of death among Latinos in the United States. The fastest growing population in the country, Latinos face particular barriers in accessing health care, prevention services, and HIV treatment. Claudia Martorell, M.D., M.P.H. is Director and Principal Investigator at The Research Institute in Springfield, MA, specializing in infectious diseases. She will address HIV & Latinos at Hartford’s monthly HIV Forum on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 from 12:00-1:30 pm. The forum will take place at The Institute for Community Research, 2 Hartford Square West, Suite 100, 146 Wyllys St in Hartford, CT. The event is free; lunch will be provided and advance registration is required.

Dr. Martorell participated in the Massachusetts Commission to End Health Care Disparities, and has a fellowship in minority health policy. “My presentation will focus on changing demographics among Latinos in the US; patient, provider, and systemic barriers to HIV care; and methods to improve HIV care in the Latino population,” she says. “Some of these barriers are at the patient level, such as risk behavior and education; there are system barriers, such as inadequate insurance or access to care; and there are provider barriers, including language, prejudice, and lack of cultural awareness.” Healthcare providers, public health officials, researchers, advocates, consumers and interested community members are invited to attend the presentation. Participants will come away with an understanding of these barriers, and how to address them. “To break down obstacles to care among providers,” says Dr. Martorell, “some things we can do are to increase awareness about disparities in HIV care, and to increase cultural awareness.” Dr. Martorell also advocates increasing the number of minority providers, patients’ access to care, and to education.

This is the final presentation in the Fall, 2007 series of forums organized by The Institute for Community Research and the Connecticut AIDS Education and Training Center with support from Abbott Laboratories. The Hartford HIV Forum meets from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m., on the second Tuesday of each month from September through June. The goal of the forums is to give the local community the most up-to-date information on current topics in AIDS prevention, treatment, research and care. To register for the forum, call the Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044. For more information about the series, contact Kim Radda at The Institute for Community Research at 860-278-2044 X285.

###