Educating consumers, and sometimes changing behavior is a key to wellness and controlling the cost of healthcare for Hispanics.

US Hispanics represent a large portion of the population experiencing a high incidence of new cases of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.

At the University of Puerto Rico Dr. Pérez-Jiménez and his team are now conducting a study that focuses on reducing the spread of STD's among young heterosexual Hispanic couples.

The goal is to help young couples by reducing their risks, prevent against transmitting infections, teach the couples why they should change their behavior, and provide the couples with the skills they need to create a change.

The Study has 4 important points:

1) Provide accurate and basic information about sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/ AIDS, and safer sex habits.

2) Discussion of social norms and gender roles in relationships, which may help address cultural values that release a man's responsibility in safe sex practices, and threaten a woman's willingness and power to practice safe sex.

3) Developing positive attitudes and self-confidence toward practicing safe sex.

4) Identifying the social influences that help or get in the way of practicing safe sex.

As the title of this entry states, and what we are all about at Sana Health Group is the context of information.  When the consumer, in this case the Hispanic consumer does not find anything meaningful they just move on.  This is not a marketing message, this is reality that impacts high costs on the quality of care available to individuals, and families; and the high economic costs that can no longer be sustained by consumers, private or public healthcare.

Article this entry is based on: http://www.nih.gov/news/health/may2009/nimh-26.htm