AIDS, HTLV-III diseases, minorities and intravenous drug abuse.

Minorities and women who are engaging in activities which place them at high risk for infection with HTLV-III are developing HTLV-III related illnesses including AIDS. In Northeastern urban areas the relatively large number of minorities who use intravenous drugs are responsible for producing large numbers of patients with AIDS (PWAs). Eighty percent of heterosexual male and female PWAs are Black or Hispanic. The development and implementation of effective prevention and education programs for these individuals rests upon an understanding of the less traditional approaches which may be necessary to reach these groups. The general public must be made aware of the hazards of HTLV-III related diseases and that the risk of infection is restricted to very well defined high risk groups. Minorities must be made to understand that they are at increased risk for HTLV-III related diseases only because of the high incidence of drug abuse in their community.