Migrants at increased risk for HIV/AIDS

Low-wage migrant workers who are employed in a host of U.S. industries are at an estimated 10 times the national average of contracting human immunodeficiency virus or AIDS.

Nearly 5 percent of farmworkers are infected with the virus. When compared to the national average of 0.6 percent it is clear that the workforce many take for granted is suffering at a much higher rate.Not all migrants come from Mexico, others come from Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Asian countries. Because many do not speak English, the language barrier makes it harder to develop and implement effect HIV prevention programs to target the population.

Several of the major risk factors plaguing this population are sexual cultural taboos (not using proper contraception), needle sharing, poverty and racial issues. As well, access to health care is extremely as many migrants work in industries where employers do not offer health insurance.

Some migrants fear contact with government agencies because of deportation worries or past prosecutions. Therefore many do not receive government sponsored health programs such as Medicaid.

Poverty is also a stranglehold on the life of a migrant worker. The average income is roughly $10,500 according to the U.S. Commission of Agricultural Workers.

Here are the raw numbers according to the UNIDOS Network of Capacity Building Assistance Providers: "Hispanics, who comprise 14 percent of the U.S. population, account for 19.8 percent of all HIV/AIDS cases among adult males, 19.2 percent of all cases among adult females and 21.6 percent of all pediatric cases."

Education on ways to prevent the spread and contraction of HIV is the most successful way to the increasing amount of AIDS cases in the migrant population. Due to underfunding and ignorance of the problem the proper programs have not been considered.

This is a population that the nation relies on. Migrants are the backbone of industries like agriculture, meatpacking, landscaping, construction and various others. America depends on migrants and should provide the already underprivileged workers proper HIV prevention programs.

In Arizona there are upwards of 10,000 people living with the AIDS virus.