Category Archives: Prevention

COVID-19, HIV Activism, HIV testing, Prevention

Jurisdictions Use HIV Self-Testing Programs to Improve Testing Uptake and Increase Diagnoses

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From HIV.gov…

More than 160,000 Americans with HIV are unaware they have the virus because they have not been tested and diagnosed. Yet we know that early diagnosis and treatment with ART are associated with better health outcomes for those with HIV. There are profound prevention benefits as well—a CDC analysis found that the nearly 15% of people with HIV whose infections are undiagnosed account for 38% of all HIV transmissions in the U.S. By finding ways to help more people get tested, we can prolong lives and prevent further transmissions.

That’s why HIV testing is a key strategy in Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America (EHE), the nation’s plan to reduce new HIV infections in the U.S. by 75% by 2025 and by 90% by 2030. The first of the Plan’s four strategies calls for diagnosing all people with HIV as early as possible after infection so they can begin care and treatment that can protect their health and prevent transmission of the virus to their partners.

Stakeholders across the country are exploring innovative ways to pursue this EHE strategy and seeking to make HIV testing more available to previously unreached populations, such as those who live far from the nearest testing site or who are concerned about confidentiality. One innovative model includes HIV self-testing programs, sometimes called “home HIV test giveaways.” These are programs in which city or state health departments advertise free self-test kits via the internet and/or dating apps, and distribute the kits by mail so that users can perform their own HIV tests in private.

Continue reading on HIV.gov.

COVID-19, Prevention, STIs

Pandemic sparks concerns about surging STD, HIV rates

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From the Hill…

The pandemic that has upended life in the U.S. could lead to increased STD rates and setbacks in the fight against HIV as public health resources are shifted to the coronavirus response.

Access to STD and HIV testing and treatment services are dwindling as local health departments shuffle staff to respond to COVID-19 and clinics reduce hours or close altogether and cancel outreach programs.

“We are seeing a complete disruption to STD prevention here in the United States,” said David Harvey, executive director of the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD). “We expect to experience even higher STD rates as a result.”

Read the full article.

PrEP, Prevention

HHS Collaborates with National Pharmacies to Expand PrEP Access

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From HIV.gov…

Beginning April 1, 2020, patients enrolled in the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Ready, Set, PrEP program will fill their prescription for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication at no cost at their choice of Avita Pharmacy , CVS Health , Health Mart , Longs Pharmacy Solutions , Rite Aid , and Walgreens  locations or through mail.

ready set PrEP logoReady, Set, PrEP is a nationwide program led by HHS and an essential component of the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative. Ready, Set, PrEP provides PrEP medications to individuals who qualify, increasing access to PrEP medications, reducing new HIV infections, and bringing us one step closer to ending the HIV epidemic in the United States.

Recognizing the importance of expanded access to HIV PrEP medications, these pharmacies are donating their dispensing and mailing services at over 24,500 pharmacy locations nationwide. This represents about a third of all the pharmacies in the United States, with locations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The donation provides a valuable service to those using PrEP and results in substantial cost savings to the federal government.

Read the full article.

HIV Activism, Prevention, Stigma

National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Pennsylvania: ‘We’re making progress but…’

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From the Pennsylvania Capital-Star…

Black people make up 12 percent of Pennsylvania’s population of about 12.8 million people. But they accounted for 49 percent of HIV diagnoses in 2018 — and to Rep. Brian Sims that’s “racist as hell.”
“A racist system produces a racist result. You don’t need to look at the data to know that,” Sims, D-Philadelphia, said Wednesday, adding, “If medicine only reaches people who look like me, in a state that doesn’t look like me, we’re doing something wrong.”

Jeannine Peterson, CEO of Harrisburg’s Hamilton Health Center, speaks during a Capitol press conference on Wednesday, 2/5/2019 (Capital-Star photo by John L. Micek)

Sims, one of two openly gay House members, was one of several lawmakers and public health advocates who were on hand during a Capitol press conference Wednesday for the 21st annual observation of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Pennsylvania.

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HIV Activism, Prevention

Prevention Point Pittsburgh providing needle exchange for 25 years

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Prevention Point provides sterile syringes and other supplies to reduce spread of HIV and Hepatitis C.

Prevention Point logoPrevention Point Pittsburgh was founded in 1995 when James Crow and Caroline Acker, along with a handful of dedicated volunteers, began providing needle exchange services once a week in the Hill District to prevent the spread of injection-related blood-borne disease. In April 2002, PPP established a county-authorized needle exchange site in Oakland. Since that time, over 7,000 injection drug users have enrolled in our program for critical prevention services. PPP’s services are authorized by the Allegheny County Board of Health and The Allegheny County Council.

In addition to needle exchange services, PPP provides comprehensive case management services, assistance to drug treatment, individualized risk reduction counseling, health education, condom and bleach distribution, overdose prevention training with naloxone, and free HIV, Hepatitis C, and syphilis screening in collaboration with the Allies for Health + Wellbeing (formerly the Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force).

Find out more on their Facebook page. You can also open/download a  Needle Exchange Site Map for 2020.

PrEP, Prevention, Research, Stigma

Trust and stigma affect gay couples’ choices on PrEP and PEP

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From aidsmap.com…

Both relationship-specific and structural factors influence whether coupled gay men living in New York City choose to use pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP/PEP) for HIV prevention. Some men – particularly those in monogamous relationships – felt that discussing PrEP and PEP in the context of a relationship could threaten the relationship by raising issues of trust, while others felt that it had the potential to enhance sexual health and satisfaction.

Stigma from the gay community and healthcare providers around promiscuity also presented barriers to PrEP uptake. This qualitative research was conducted by Stephen Bosco, Dr Tyrel Starks and colleagues at City University New York and published in the Journal of Homosexuality.

Gay and bisexual men accounted for 66% of all new HIV diagnoses in the US in 2017. It is estimated that 35-68% of these infections happen within the context of a long-term relationship. This indicates that coupled gay men have the potential to benefit significantly from biomedical prevention strategies, such as PrEP (taken on an ongoing basis) and PEP (taken shortly after a suspected infection). However, only 7% of the potential 1.1 million gay and bisexual men who could benefit from PrEP were prescribed it in 2016. Black and minority men in the US remain most at-risk for HIV infection, while also having the lowest rates of PrEP uptake.

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Prevention, Research

Studies firmly establish “undetectable equals untransmittable”

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From NIH.gov…

Extensive evidence from HIV prevention research studies has firmly established that “Undetectable Equals Untransmittable,” or U=U. This means that people living with HIV who achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load — the amount of virus in their blood — by taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribed do not sexually transmit HIV to others. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates this strategy is 100% effective against the sexual transmission of HIV.

undetectable equals untransmitable logo Now, a new study of nearly 112,000 men who have sex with men in the United States has found increasing acceptance of the U=U message in this population. Overall, 54% of HIV-negative participants and 84% of participants with HIV correctly identified U=U as accurate. The study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. Study results were published online in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

“U=U has been validated repeatedly by numerous studies as a safe and effective means of preventing the sexual transmission of HIV,” said Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., NIAID Director. “The increased understanding and acceptance of U=U is encouraging because HIV treatment as prevention is a foundation of efforts to end the epidemic in the United States and around the world. This public health message has the power to reduce stigma, protect the health of people living with HIV and prevent sexual transmission of HIV to others.”

Read the full article.

PrEP, Prevention

Ending the HIV Epidemic: Ready, Set, PrEP

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From the Department of Health and Human Services…

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) medications are prescription medications that people take daily to significantly reduce their risk of acquiring HIV through sex. PrEP can stop HIV from taking hold and spreading throughout the body. Two medications are FDA-approved for use as PrEP: TRUVADA and DESCOVY. When taken daily, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV from sex.

The Ready, Set, PrEP program makes PrEP medication available at no cost for qualifying recipients. To receive PrEP medication through this program, you must:

  • Lack prescription drug coverage
  • Be tested for HIV with a negative result
  • Have a prescription for PrEP

Talk to your healthcare provider or find a provider at HIV.gov Locator to find out if PrEP is right for you. If PrEP is a good option for you, click below to apply.

 

Commentary, Prevention

Latinx students need access to PrEP on college campuses

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From hivplusmag.com…

It’s clear that there are discrepancies in the support young men of color have when it comes to accessing key sexual health services. So, what can we do to change this?

One way we can help young people prevent HIV is through providing PrEP on college campuses. Providing PrEP on college campuses gives young people the tools they need, while also eliminating the stigma around HIV. Navigating college as Latinx students can already be difficult enough, especially for first generation students like myself. In my experience, feeling supported by your school is key in creating an environment where all students can thrive, and having your health needs met is a part of that.

Providing PrEP on college campuses also eliminates another barrier many students face in accessing PrEP: transportation. Given that not all schools are located in metropolitan areas, some young people may have to travel unrealistic distances to the nearest clinic to find PrEP. Students attending college outside of their hometowns might not even have access to a car, eliminating the option of transportation altogether.

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Prevention, Stigma

Advocates raise awareness on National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day

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From the Human Rights Campaign…

To Omar Martinez, National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day is about uplifting the voices of Latinx activists and ensuring that Latinx  people living with HIV and AIDS receive the best care possible moving forward while remembering Latinx people who died of HIV and AIDS.

“The way to move forward is to really tackle and address the structural issues,” Martinez, an assistant professor at Temple University’s School of Social Work, told HRC. “[This] includes discrimination, the anti-immigration rhetoric, structural racism, cultural imperalism and access and barriers to health care… I would argue that these are the major challenges.”

October 15 marks National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day — a day to raise awareness about how HIV and AIDS impact the Latinx community, educate the public on preventative measures and more. NLAAD’s theme this year is “living with HIV or not… we’re fighting this together,” focusing on ending the stigma around the disease and helping to address HIV in the Latinx community.

Read the full article.