October 15 – Today, CHIPTS commemorates National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD), a day dedicated to recognizing the impact of HIV in the Latinx community. In honor of NLAAD, CHIPTS Combination Prevention Core Scientist Dr. Ronald A. Brooks shares a reflection on the impact of HIV among Latinx persons and recommended approaches to end the HIV epidemic in the Latinx community.

Dr. Brooks has dedicated his entire career here at UCLA to social-behavioral HIV research with Latinx sexual and gender minority populations. He also currently serves as the Interim Director of Research and Evaluation at Bienestar Human Services, one of the largest Latinx HIV service organization in the U.S. Read Dr. Brooks’ reflection below.

National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day

Each year on October 15^th we observe National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD) to bring attention to the impact of HIV on Latinx persons in the United States. NLAAD is a day to re-invigorate our commitment to promoting HIV awareness and testing, disseminating effective HIV prevention strategies such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), linking people to care for improved health outcomes, and working toward reducing HIV disparities and creating greater health equity in the Latinx community.

According to the CDC, Latinx persons accounted for over a quarter (28%) of all new HIV infections in the U.S in 2019, at a rate that was three times higher than that among non-Hispanic White persons. The overwhelming majority of new HIV infections in the Latinx community were among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men. Another group severely impacted by HIV are Latina transgender women. The CDC’s recent HIV Surveillance Special Report assessing HIV Infection, Risk, Prevention, and Testing Behaviors Among Transgender Women in 7 US Cities, 2019-2020 found that 35% of Latina transgender women had HIV. For many Latinx sexual and gender minority persons, HIV looms like an omnipresent dark cloud over their lives. Moreover, one in six Latinx persons in the U.S. is unaware of their HIV status. As a result, they cannot take advantage of early HIV treatment to improve their health outcomes, and may continue to transmit HIV to others. With new HIV infections continuing to impact Latinx persons, now, more than ever, is the time to act to bring an end to the HIV epidemic in this community.

We have the tools to bring an end to the HIV epidemic among Latinx persons. Today’s HIV medications are simpler to take and less toxic and can help persons achieve viral suppression so they can no longer transmit the virus to others. PrEP is highly effective biomedical prevention strategy that can help reduce the rate of new HIV infections. However, multiple systemic, community, and individual-level barriers hinder access to these tools among Latinx persons. Barriers include experiences of stigma and discrimination resulting from homophobia, transphobia, and racism, and intersectional stigma stemming from the multiple marginalized identities of many Latinx persons (e.g., immigration status and lack of documentation, monolingual Spanish speaking, substance use disorder, sexual orientation, gender identity). Other systemic barriers include poverty and lack of access to quality health care services. On NLAAD, it is important to think about what interventions and resources are needed by Latinx communities across the country to help overcome these barriers and bring an end to HIV among all Latinx persons. In addition, it is important to consider the role that trusted Latinx community-based organizations can play in providing these HIV services to the community in a culturally affirming and respectful manner.

Moving forward, addressing the HIV epidemic among Latinx populations will require shifting our approach to be “status neutral.” This approach integrates prevention and treatment services so that both become part of the fabric of comprehensive primary prevention and care. By no longer separating these areas of HIV into silos, we can help mitigate HIV-related stigma that continues to plague our prevention and treatment efforts with this population.

Today, on NLAAD, I am encouraged by a new wave of emerging Latinx community leaders working in HIV prevention and treatment. These leaders are forging new and stronger partnerships with academic HIV researchers and public health departments to take on the HIV battle in novel and innovative ways. These partnerships involve more inclusion and participation of community in HIV research with Latinx populations — partnerships that will result in the creation of culturally-centered and more impactful strategies and interventions to end the HIV epidemic affecting all Latinx populations.

This content originally appeared on HHS.gov. View the full article here.

October 5, 2021 – Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced approximately $2.21 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding for cities, counties, states, and local community-based organizations in fiscal year (FY) 2021. This funding, through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), supports a comprehensive system of HIV primary medical care, medication, and essential support services critical to improving the health outcomes of nearly 560,000 people with HIV in the United States.

“For more than three decades, HHS has driven federal efforts to end the HIV epidemic in our country and improve health outcomes for people with HIV,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “These funds support viral suppression that saves lives, reduces health disparities, and slows the spread of HIV. We will continue to support the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of ending the HIV epidemic in the United States.”

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program provides care and treatment services to low-income people with HIV, with a strong focus on health equity and addressing social determinants of health. The program serves approximately 50 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV in the United States. In 2019, 88.1 percent of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients who received HIV medical care were virally suppressed, up from 69.5 percent in 2010.

“Our Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is a groundbreaking effort that has made extraordinary progress over the years toward ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S.,” said HRSA Acting Administrator Diana Espinosa. “These grants support life-saving care, treatment, and medication that improves health outcomes and reduces HIV transmission to patients across the country.”

HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program also awarded $99 million through Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) funding in March 2021, as part of a Department-wide initiative to reduce new HIV transmission in the United States by 90percent by 2030.

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Fiscal Year 2021 Awards:

Under Part A of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, approximately $621.4 million was awarded to 52 metropolitan areas to provide core medical and support services for people with HIV. These grants were awarded to highly-impacted urban areas with the highest number of people with HIV and AIDS. For a list of the FY 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part A award recipients, visit https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/part-a-grants-emerging-metro-transitional-areas/fy2021-awards.

Under Part B of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, approximately $1.3 billion was awarded to 59 states and territories to improve the quality, availability and organization of HIV health care and support services and for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). Additionally, 16 states received Emerging Community grants based on the number of AIDS cases over the most recent five-year period. In addition, 29 states and territories were also awarded approximately $10.2 million in Part B Minority AIDS Initiative grants. For a list of the FY 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part B award recipients, visit https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/part-b-grants-states-territories/fy2021-awards.

Under Part C Early Intervention Services (EIS) of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, approximately $179.8 million was awarded across the country to 347 local, community-based organizations to provide core medical and support services to people with HIV. Additionally, 30 organizations were awarded approximately $4.4 million in Part C Capacity Development grants. For a list of the FY 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C EIS award recipients, visit https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/part-c-early-intervention-services-and-capacity-development-program-grants/fy2021-eis-awards. For a list of the FY 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C Capacity Development award recipients, visit https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/part-c-early-intervention-services-and-capacity-development-program-grants/fy2021-capacity-awards.

Under Part D of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, approximately $67.2 million was awarded to 114 local community-based organizations across the country to provide family-centered comprehensive HIV care and treatment for women, infants, children, and youth with HIV. For a list of the FY 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part D award recipients, visit https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/part-d-services-women-infants-children-and-youth/fy2021-awards.

Under Part F of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, approximately $67.6 million was awarded to support clinical training, oral health services, quality improvement, and the development of innovative models of care through several different programs. Approximately $8.9 million was awarded to 45 recipients through the Dental Reimbursement Program, and nearly $3.5 million was awarded to 12 recipients through the Community-Based Dental Partnership Program. For a list of the FY 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part F Dental Reimbursement Program award recipients and Community-Based Dental Partnership Program award recipients, visit https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/part-f-dental-programs/fy2021-awards.

Under Part F, the AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) Program awarded approximately $30.3 million through 14 grants and cooperative agreements to support education and training of health care professionals, which includes a network of eight regional and two national centers. For a list of the FY 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program AETC award recipients, visit https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/part-f-aids-education-and-training-centers-aetc-program/fy2021-awards.

In addition, $25 million was awarded through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Program under Part F, which includes $9.9 million in funding for new initiatives. SPNS supports the development of innovative models of HIV care and treatment strategies using implementation science while promoting the dissemination and replication of successful interventions to support underserved populations. Through these special projects, SPNS recipients implement a variety of interventions, which contribute to the advancement of public health knowledge and the goal of ending the HIV epidemic in the U.S. For a list of the FY 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program SPNS award recipients, visit https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/part-f-special-projects-national-significance-spns-program/fy2021-awards.

To learn more about HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, visit hab.hrsa.gov.

For more information about HRSA’s role in the EHE initiative, visit www.hrsa.gov/ending-HIV-epidemic.

For more information about HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, treatment, and research, visit HIV.gov.

This week, the global specialist HIV company ViiV Healthcare announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has accepted and granted Priority Review for a New Drug Application (NDA) for investigational long-acting injectable cabotegravir for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). If approved, injectable cabotegravir would become the first long-acting therapy for HIV prevention. The FDA has set a target approval date of January 24, 2022.

The NDA was based on the results from two phase IIb/III studies, HPTN 083 and HPTN 084. Led by CHIPTS Co-Director Raphael J. Landovitz, MD, MSc, HPTN 083 evaluated the safety and efficacy of long-acting injectable cabotegravir for PrEP in men who have sex with men and transgender women, while HPTN 084 evaluated the same factors in cisgender women. The blinded, randomized portions of both studies were stopped early by independent Data Safety Monitoring Boards after long-acting injectable cabotegravir was shown to be superior to daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF) tablets in preventing HIV acquisition.

“In the United States, fewer than 25% of those who could benefit from PrEP are currently taking it, which points to the need for additional HIV prevention options,” said Kimberly Smith, MD, MPH, Head of Research & Development at ViiV Healthcare. “We believe new options like investigational cabotegravir long-acting for PrEP will help play a significant role in our collective efforts to end the HIV epidemic.”

Long-acting injectable cabotegravir has not yet been approved or licensed anywhere in the world for use in HIV prevention. ViiV Healthcare will initiate submissions of this therapy to other regulatory authorities by the end of 2021.

This content originally appeared on HIV.gov. View the full article here.

Dear Colleague,

September 27 is National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD). Each year on this day, we direct attention to the continuing and disproportionate impact of HIV on gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in the United States. As we continue to work together during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we strengthen our commitment to ending the HIV epidemic by expanding HIV testing, prevention, and treatment, and reducing HIV stigma. To succeed, we will need to increase efforts supporting gay and bisexual men, who bear the greatest burden of new HIV infections.

Data from 2019 show that of the 36,801 new HIV diagnoses in the United States and dependent areas, 69% (25,552) were among gay and bisexual men; in that same year, an estimated 15% of gay and bisexual men with HIV did not know their status. Men who know their HIV status, positive or negative, can take steps to keep themselves healthy. If their test is negative, they can be linked to prevention services, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). If their test is positive, they can be linked to care and start treatment to keep themselves healthy and prevent transmission to their sexual partners. This “status neutral” approach facilitates the integration of prevention and treatment services so that both become part of the fabric of comprehensive primary care and address the needs of the whole person while mitigating HIV-related stigma.

The disruption of traditional HIV testing services over the last 19 months has made self-testing a great option for some people to take an HIV test, learn their status, and get the benefits of today’s prevention and treatment tools. In March 2020, a public-private partnership was launched in the United States to deliver HIV self-tests to people seeking HIV testing, with marketing focused on gay and bisexual men. According to a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the program effectively reached men who had not been tested recently. Most program participants reported that they had never been tested (36%) or last tested more than a year earlier (56%) before receiving their self-test kit. In addition, more than 10% of men who requested self-test kits also reported accessing additional prevention services. Increased and regular HIV testing among gay and bisexual men will help to end the HIV epidemic in this country.

This project preceded a CDC-supported national self-testing demonstration project, called Together: Take Me Home, that began in spring 2020 and is ongoing. The project is promoted through the Let’s Stop HIV Together, a campaign that empowers communities, partners, and healthcare providers to reduce stigma and promote HIV testing, treatment, and prevention. The Together: Take Me Home  self-testing program encourages gay and bisexual men in the United States to order up to two free HIV self-tests that can be delivered to their home. This National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, CDC encourages everyone to promote the self-testing program and share social media content from the Together digital toolkit and from its Start Talking Facebook  and Instagram  channels. The Together campaign supports the national Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative, which is designed to reduce new HIV infections in the U.S. by 90% by 2030 by scaling up key HIV prevention and treatment strategies.

As partners in HIV prevention, we each play an essential role to end HIV in this country. Our commitment and ongoing work can reduce stigma, ensure health equity, and raise awareness about HIV testing, prevention, and treatment. Together we can make a difference.

Sincerely,

/Demetre Daskalakis/
Demetre Daskalakis, MD, MPH
Director, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/hiv

/Jonathan Mermin/
Jonathan H. Mermin, MD, MPH
Rear Admiral and Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS
Director
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov/nchhstp

This content originally appeared on HHS.gov. View the full article here.

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), awarded over $48 million to 271 HRSA-supported health centers across 26 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia to expand HIV prevention and treatment, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) related services, outreach, and care coordination.

This investment is part of HHS’ Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) initiative, which aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the United States by 90 percent by 2030. This funding will expand HIV prevention services that decrease the risk of HIV transmission in counties, territories, and states prioritized due to substantial HIV diagnosis. These awards will build upon fiscal year (FY) 2020 HRSA Health Center Program EHE awards by funding additional health centers in the EHE priority jurisdictions.

“HHS-supported community health centers are often a key point of entry to HIV prevention and treatment services, especially for underserved populations,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “I am proud of the role they play in providing critical services to 1.2 million Americans living with HIV. Today’s awards will ensure equitable access to services free from stigma and discrimination, while advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2025.”

The $48 million in awards include nearly $38 million in FY 2021 initial Ending the HIV Epidemic: Primary Care HIV Prevention (PCHP) funding to 108 HRSA-supported health centers not funded in FY 2020, and over $10 million in additional resources to expand the efforts of the 163 HRSA-supported health centers who received FY 2020 PCHP funding.

Awarded health centers will use the funding to conduct outreach and HIV testing, expand their workforce to increase access to and use of PrEP, and connect individuals who test positive for HIV to treatment. Health centers receiving these funds are encouraged to partner more closely with community organizations such as HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program-funded organizations and health departments to facilitate referrals to the health center for prevention services including testing and PrEP, and, for those testing positive for HIV, care soon after diagnosis.

“We know our Health Center Program award recipients are well-positioned to advance the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative, with a particular focus on facilitating access to PrEP, because of their integrated service delivery model,” said Acting HRSA Administrator Diana Espinosa. “By integrating HIV services into primary care, and providing essential enabling services like language access or case management, HRSA-supported health centers increase access to care and improve health outcomes for patients living with HIV.”

Last year, HRSA-funded health centers provided nearly 2.5 million HIV tests to patients. Of those who tested positive for HIV for the first time, over 81 percent were successfully linked to treatment within 30 days. Nearly 190,000 patients living with HIV receive medical care services at health centers, and over 389,000 patients received PrEP-associated services.

See a list of the FY 2021 PCHP award recipients: https://bphc.hrsa.gov/program-opportunities/primary-care-hiv-prevention/fy21-awards

For more information about HRSA’s role in the EHE initiative, visit: www.hrsa.gov/ending-hiv-epidemic.

To locate a HRSA Health Center Program supported health center, visit: https://findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov/.

This content originally appeared on HIV.gov. View the full article here.

HIV Care Tools is a new, free app for healthcare providers that provides one-touch access to key HIV prevention and care information including quick guides, screening tools, and expert consultation for busy clinicians. The app was developed by the AIDS Education and Training Center (AETC) program of HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program as part of their work to support the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative.

The expert-curated point-of-care information is intended for use by providers who serve people with, or at risk for, HIV infection, including clinicians, clinic staff and care team members, pharmacists, and health profession students, residents, and fellows.

The HIV Care Tools app is easy to use and can be accessed on or offline, which is helpful for healthcare providers who practice in settings where internet access isn’t always available. The app can be used in various clinical settings, including emergency rooms, primary care, and STD clinics. Features available in the HIV Care Tools app include:

• Expert-curated content
• No WIFI required after installation
• Evidence-based quick guides
• Screening tools
• Clinical calculators

In addition, the app features one-touch access to free phone-based clinician warmlines to support HIV care and prevention, substance use evaluation and management, hepatitis C, and COVID-19 through the AETC National Clinician Consultation Center . Healthcare providers can also connect with AETC program sites for free technical assistance and staff training.

The HIV Care Tools app was supported by Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative funds and includes resources to support all four pillars of the initiative. It is available for iPhone and Android-based devices and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store  and Google Play Store .

Visit the AETC app  home page where you can learn more about the HIV Care Tools app.

This content originally appeared on HIV.gov. View the full article here.

Last month, the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care (BPHC) released its Health Center Program calendar year 2020 Uniform Data System (UDS) data. The UDS data provides a snapshot of what health centers experienced during the past year, highlights the accomplishments of the Health Center Program, and identifies opportunities to enhance care delivery and inform future Health Center Program and other federal investments. The 2020 UDS data highlights health centers’ ability to deliver critical primary care and HIV prevention services while also responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The HIV-specific 2020 UDS data demonstrates that health centers:

• Conducted nearly 2.5 million HIV tests;
• Delivered primary care services to almost 190,000 patients living with HIV;
• Provided Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) services to 389,000 patients; and
• Ensured that 81% of newly diagnosed HIV positive patients aged 15-65 years old were linked to care within 30 days of diagnosis.

Further, the 2020 UDS data indicates that the 195 health centers that received fiscal year (FY) 2020 Primary Care HIV Prevention (PCHP) awards substantially contributed to health centers’ overall achievements in providing HIV-related services nationwide. Specifically, FY 2020 PCHP-funded health centers:

• Conducted nearly 1.1 million HIV tests (44% of overall HIV tests);
• Delivered primary care services to more than 120,000 patients living with HIV (63% of total patients);
• Provided Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) services to over 151,000 patients (40% of the total patients receiving PrEP-related services); and
• Ensured that 86% of newly diagnosed HIV positive patients aged 15-65 years old were linked to care within 30 days of diagnosis (outperforming the overall health center rate by 5 percentage points).

Despite significant operational and staffing challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, health centers remained committed to maintaining access to essential HIV testing, prevention, care and treatment access in 2020. While HIV testing and primary care visits experienced 11% and 3% reductions respectively from 2019 levels, these reductions can likely be attributed to travel restrictions and clinic closures nationwide, which resulted in fewer in-person visits overall for health centers. PCHP funded health centers have shown resilience and dedication in serving our nation’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations and we are extremely proud of their efforts in the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative.

2020 was the first year that HRSA collected PrEP data from health centers through the UDS. Additionally, in order to align with revised CDC’s clinical recommendations and CMS’ e-CQM, HRSA updated its HIV linkage to care metric from 90-days to 30-days beginning with the 2020 UDS.

Time and again, health centers have answered the call – playing a critical role in reducing geographic, socioeconomic, racial/ethnic, and other health disparities in the United States. They are invaluable to ensuring that our nation’s underserved populations, especially individuals and families living in poverty, rural communities, communities of color, and people living with or at risk for HIV are able to receive the care they need and deserve.

Tuesday, August 31, 2021 – UCLA CBAM in collaboration with California Community Foundation (CCF) hosted a provider summit entitled “COVID-19 Roundtable: Provider Summit” to share COVID-19 updates, best practices and strategies for increasing vaccine access and uptake, approaches for community engagement and lessons learned for the future. Moderated by  Dilara Üsküp, PhD, PhD, Jesse Clark, MD, and Oladunni B. Adeyiga, MD, PhD,  the provider summit reached over 50 clinical/ non-clinical providers, and others interested in learning more about COVID-19.

An expert panel of speakers were featured at the event, including:

1. Jerry P. Abraham, MD, MPH, CMQ – Director of Kedren Vaccines, Kedren Health
2. Oladunni B. Adeyiga, MD, PhD – Assistant Clinic Professor, UCLA Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease
3. Jesse L. Clark, MD, MSC – Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
4. Alma D. Guerrero, MD, MPH – Associate Professor,  UCLA Department of Pediatrics
5. Tracey Veal, DrPH, MBA – Executive Fellow, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health
6. Stephaun E. Wallace, PhD, MS – Director of External Relations, COVID-19 Prevention Network(CoVPN)HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN)
7. Sheila M. Young, MD – Assistant Professor, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science

During the panel discussion, clinicians and non-clinicians, as well as community members were encouraged to share their questions and concerns about COVID-19 with our expert panelists. Panelists offered insight on discussion areas below:

• Current State of COVID-19
• Education and Information Sharing (Patients)
• Best Practices/Lessons Learned
• Education and Information Sharing (Providers)

Please see a recording of the “COVID-19 Roundtable: Provider Summit” below. If you have any questions, please contact Project Coordinator Damilola Jolayemi, MSc, at ojolayemi@mednet.ucla.edu.

Event Recording:

Additional Material:

PowerPoint: COVID-19 Roundtable: Provider Summit - Slides

Event Flyer: COVID-19 Roundtable: Provider Summit - Flyer

Resource Guide for Download: COVID-19 Community Resource Guide/ Guía de Recursos Comunitarios COVID-19

Additional Resources:

• Historical Legacies: Conquering COVID & Combating the Infodemic - Slides
• What are Variants and What do they Mean for COVID Vaccines? - Factsheet
• [Download not found]
• CoVPN Community Engagement Materials Menu - Resources
• Recommended Solutions for Engaging Patients and Increasing Vaccination Rates - Summary Report

 

This content originally appeared on HIV.gov. View the full article here.

CDC’s Let’s Stop HIV Together (Together) campaign recently launched a new initiative called #ShesWell, which is focused on increasing awareness about Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among women, building capacity among clinicians to prescribe PrEP to women who can benefit from it, and ultimately increasing PrEP use among women.  The #ShesWell initiative initially launched in June 2021 in four Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. (EHE) jurisdictions: Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL; Orlando, FL; Fort Worth, TX; and Columbus, OH.

The resources for women aim to educate them about the benefits of PrEP, to encourage them to seek more information, and to engage in discussions with their health care providers to determine if PrEP is right for them. Implementation includes both organic and paid social media efforts, and ads on dating apps, digital web banners, digital radio, and video streams.

The #ShesWell initiative for clinicians aims to raise awareness among health care providers about the benefits of PrEP as a powerful tool to prevent new HIV infections among women; encourage and empower clinicians to talk to their female patients about whether PrEP is right for them and prescribe PrEP if appropriate; and provide tools and resources highlighting CDC’s PrEP guidelines and recommendations so that clinicians can make PrEP services a routine part of care.

#ShesWell will engage clinicians through provider publications and professional organization email listservs, distribution of a refreshed CDC PrEP

resource kit to clinics, promotion of digital advertisements for clinician offices and waiting rooms, and social media advertising.

Newly developed resources from the #ShesWell project will be available via the Together site later in 2021.

For more information about the Let’s Stop HIV Together (LSHT) campaign, visit CDC’s website to find resources and Together partners that support efforts to stop HIV stigma and promote HIV testing, prevention, and treatment. treatment.

This content originally appeared on WHO.int. View the full article here.

A new WHO report confirms that HIV infection is a significant independent risk factor for both severe/ critical COVID-19 presentation at hospital admission and in-hospital mortality. Overall, nearly a quarter (23.1%) of all people living with HIV who were hospitalized with COVID-19, died.