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A Sex-Positive Approach to Healthcare, and Truvada as HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
Ohkura, Michael Bonefant, Nicholas Upton, Michael D.
Ohkura, Michael
Bonefant, Nicholas
Upton, Michael D.
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Abstract
Nationally, incidence of new HIV infections has hovered around over 50,000 per year and men who have sex with men (MSM) carry the largest burden. In Vermont, 56% of individuals newly diagnosed are MSM, with 25% of diagnoses among youth ages 13-24 years old. Despite the proven efficacy and approval of daily Truvada (emtricitabine + tenofovir) as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV infection, provider understanding and awareness of its use has remained extremely limited in Vermont with last estimates at just over 9 providers familiar with PrEP (excluding UVM Student Health, Planned Parenthood, and UVM Medical Center infectious disease department). Based on a UVM College of Medicine student public health project which identified provider training and education as the largest barrier to prescribing PrEP, this ongoing project aims to familiarize Vermont primary care providers with language and sexual history taking in MSM, emphasize accurate identification of higher risk times for HIV infection in an individual's lifetime, and encourage consideration for PrEP as a powerful element of a comprehensive sexual health program.
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Date
2018-01-08