The World Health Organization reports that Honduras accounts for about 17% of the population of Central America. Honduras, however, has reported nearly 60% of all the AIDS cases in Central America. Obviously a major health problem in the country, most of the people with the disease are located in Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula and along the northern coast.
The main mode of infection is heterosexual transmission (about 60%) although the incidence among homosexual men is increasing. The disease is reaching epidemic level among the Garifuna, where the infection is six times the national average. Descendants of Nigerian slaves, factors putting them at risk are widespread poverty, poor access to health care and the popularity of traditional myths about HIV.
HIV/AIDS is the second leading cause of hospitalization and death in Honduras, after injuries due to violence. AIDS has been the leading cause of death in women of childbearing age since 1997.
HIV/AIDS patients are rarely seen in the majority of our ministry area. Precautions used to prevent HIV/AIDS are the same in Honduras as they are in the United States.
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