Equity and Diversity

Tremendous strides have been made in HIV/AIDS care, funding and research. Today, with proper adherence to antiretroviral medications, it is very possible to suppress HIV viral loads, allowing people to live healthier lives and avoid spreading the disease.

But disparities in socioeconomics, race and gender still adversely affect care for people with HIV across the country. African Americans, for example, are disproportionately endangered.

According to the CDC, African Americans are far more likely to delay getting the treatment they need because they do not trust the medical system. Early on, AIDS was viewed as a middle-class, gay white man's disease, and that perception lingers.

Bailey-Boushay House is working with African American Reach and Teach Health (AARTH) to describe and measure disparities in our region. AARTH is a Seattle-based organization that works to bridge the gaps in health care by providing health education and training to organizations that serve people of African descent.

We're paying attention to the diversity of our work force, working to identify and overcome barriers to seeking care, and developing training programs on health equity, diversity and inclusion.