While PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV infection and has been available for more than 10 years, many people who might benefit from taking it have not received a prescription. Through focus groups with health centers across the United States, The Fenway Institute and the Bureau of Primary Health Care identified barriers and facilitators to PrEP use. A lack of provider knowledge about PrEP, discomfort discussing sexual behavior, patients’ negative perceptions of PrEP, financial and staffing limitations, medical mistrust, and low health literacy all impeded PrEP access. However, focus group participants also identified multiple strategies to ease PrEP use, including provider training and resources, visit templates that include sexual history questions, patient outreach and education through trusted community members, and use of telemedicine.
Learning Resources — HIV/STI Treatment and Prevention
HIV Prevention for Cisgender Women, Transgender Men, and All People Assigned Female at Birth
Cisgender women, transgender men, and all people assigned female at birth continue to be affected by HIV, both nationally and globally. In 2019, 6,897 HIV infections were diagnosed among cisgender women, and 46 were diagnosed among transgender men, with significant disparities by race. Among people assigned female at birth who have HIV, those who identify as Black or African American are disproportionately affected.
- Filed under
- Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
Infectious Disease Outbreaks and Impact on LGBTQIA+ People
Presented by Dr. Kevin Ard in collaboration with the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, this webinar will update health centers on responding to outbreaks of syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections among MSM in their communities. Discussions will include culturally responsive, evidence-based screening, testing, treatment, and outreach in coordination with public health departments.
- Filed under
- HIV/STI Treatment and Prevention
Long-Acting Injectable PrEP for LGBTQIA+ Populations: Implementation in Health Center
Join Dr. Ard from the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center and Jeannie McIntosh from Community Health Center, Inc. for an informative webinar on the benefits and practical implementation of long-acting injectable PrEP in health centers. Focused on improving care for LGBTQIA+ communities, this webinar will explore eligibility and assessment of candidates, administering long-acting injectable PrEP, and common challenges in prescribing and integrating injectable long-acting injectable PrEP.
- Filed under
- Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
The Intersection of HIV, Aging, and Housing: Considerations for Health Centers
This webinar from the National Center for Equitable Care for Elders (NCECE), the National Center for Health in Public Housing (NCHPH), and the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center will focus on integrated solutions for supporting older adults living with HIV to safely age in their community of choice.
HIV Prevention and Care for People Assigned Female at Birth
Presented by Dr. Whitney Irie and Dr. Kevin Ard in collaboration with the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center, this webinar will train health centers on best and promising practices for prevention and treatment of HIV among cisgender women, non-binary people assigned female at birth, and transgender men.
- Filed under
- HIV/STI Treatment and Prevention
PrEP Action Kit (2024)
This PrEP Action Kit includes clinical resources to help providers incorporate PrEP into their practices. Including helpful resources such as tips on taking a comprehensive sexual history, frequently asked questions about PrEP and information on PrEP prescribing and monitoring. This action kit is an essential resource for all providers treating LGBTQIA+ patients or patients at risk of HIV infection.
Rapid Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy for People with HIV
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is recommended for all people with HIV to improve and preserve their health and to reduce transmission of HIV to others. Increasingly, rapid ART starts have become a clinical and public health priority, with the Department of Health and Human Services Panel on Antiretroviral Guidelines for Adults and Adolescents recommending that ART be started as soon as possible after HIV diagnosis. Definitions of what constitutes a rapid start of ART vary; the most stringent is also termed immediate ART and occurs when ART is prescribed on the same day an HIV diagnosis is delivered. This fact sheet reviews the potential benefits and rationale for rapid ART starts, outlines potential pitfalls, and offers practical, evidence-based tips on ART selection for rapid starts.
- Filed under
- HIV/STI Treatment and Prevention
STI Testing and Treatment as Part of HIV Prevention
Presented by Dr. Kevin Ard, this webinar will present updated recommendations for STI testing and treatment, as well as innovations in the field such as post-exposure Doxycycline and low- threshold testing options for STIs as a part of HIV prevention and care.
- Filed under
- HIV/STI Treatment and Prevention
Innovative Methods for Delivering Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Care
Presented by Dr. Kevin Ard, participants will learn about innovative approaches to HIV prevention using a status-neutral framework with information on telehealth for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), PrEP On Demand, and more. The webinar also provides the most recent information about how to implement long-acting injectable PrEP at health centers.
