LGBT-friendly primary care improves STD screening rates
From medicalxpress.com… Bruce W. Furness, M.D., M.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues developed and evaluated a quality improvement initiative (Transforming Primary Care for LGBT People) to enhance the capacity of 10 federally qualified health centers (FQHCs; 123 clinical sites in nine states) to provide culturally affirming care. […]
FDA Approves New HIV Treatment for Patients With Limited Treatment Options
From the FDA… [On July 2, 2020], the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Rukobia (fostemsavir), a new type of antiretroviral medication for adults living with HIV who have tried multiple HIV medications and whose HIV infection cannot be successfully treated with other therapies because of resistance, intolerance or safety considerations. “This approval marks a […]
Raltegravir-Based ART Regimens Appear Superior to Efavirenz for Use Among HIV-Positive Pregnant Patients
From AJMC.com… Among the principal reasons for recommending initiating antiretroviral treatment (ART) among pregnant patients who are HIV positive is to prevent transmission of the virus to their unborn children. This number was estimated at 1.3 million pregnant pregnant women, as of 2018. However, optimal treatment regimens remain unclear. An international team of investigators published their study results earlier […]
Poll: U.S. Adults Lack STI Awareness
From US News and World Report… Despite cases of several sexually transmitted infections reaching a record level in the U.S., a large majority of people aren’t aware of how common they are among the nation’s adults, according to newly released survey results. The poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only 36% of those […]
Youth with HIV less likely than adults to achieve viral suppression
From the National Institutes of Health … Despite similar rates of enrollment into medical care, youth with HIV have much lower rates of viral suppression — reducing HIV to undetectable levels — compared to adults, according to an analysis funded by the National Institutes of Health. Among more than 1,000 youth, most of whom were […]
Despite ART, Immune System Ages Faster Among People Living With HIV
From thebodypro.com… Today’s powerful antiretroviral therapy (ART) helps fight back HIV infection and restore normal immune function. However, clinical evidence suggests that people with HIV who are virologically suppressed still have higher rates of comorbid viral infections than the general population. Now, a new study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases suggests that ART does […]
Trust and stigma affect gay couples’ choices on PrEP and PEP
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 […]
Studies firmly establish “undetectable equals untransmittable”
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. […]
Health Alert: Get tested for HIV and other Sexually transmitted infections
According to a CDC report, HIV continues to have a disproportionate impact on racial and ethnic minorities, gay and bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men. Yet, 15% of men who are infected with HIV don’t know it. Also, according to CDC research, cases of gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis have risen for the fifth […]
A Nurse Care Management Program for HIV Prevention Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness
From Contagionlive… HIV prevalence is as high as 12% in young people experiencing homelessness. This population is also 6 to 12 times more likely to become infected with HIV than housed youth. Obstacles to HIV prevention and care among youth experiencing homelessness are compounded by substance use, housing instability, and mental illness. These obstacles present […]