Whereas Nationwide Youth HIV/AIDS Consciousness Day might have been earlier this month, the work to empower younger folks to combat continues, particularly these in our communities. We spoke with Bithiah Lafontant, Director of Company Communications at ViiV Healthcare, in regards to the altering statistics, the sources wanted to create an HIV-free technology, and extra.
BHM: How are the statistics of HIV amongst younger folks in underserved communities altering?
Regardless of the numerous strides we’ve made in HIV consciousness, prevention, and remedy, the HIV epidemic persists, particularly for our youth. Younger folks account for greater than 20% of all new HIV diagnoses within the U.S., with a disproportionate affect on Black and Latinx queer youth who’re experiencing the best variety of new diagnoses.
To show the tide, it’s essential that we concentrate on combating HIV stigma, selling open and sincere conversations, and, most significantly, growing consciousness and motion across the choices which can be out there for HIV prevention.
BHM: We have now the instruments and sources wanted for an HIV-free technology, however do we’ve the collective will?
We imagine that each younger individual deserves entry to sources, help, and the care they should thrive. We perceive that empowering youth must be on the heart of the HIV response, as they’re the subsequent technology of leaders within the HIV group. By our Constructive Motion for Youth program, which invested greater than $5.8 million in youth-focused organizations this yr alone, and our Annual Youth Summit, we’re informing and empowering younger leaders and their group allies to shut gaps in HIV prevention, care, and supportive providers.
The instruments and sources exist to attain an HIV-free technology, however we’d like extra than simply instruments.
It’s important that everybody concerned within the combat towards HIV continues to prioritize our youth and develop consciousness of the sources and providers out there to enhance this technology’s response to HIV.
We all know we are able to’t finish HIV alone, however collectively, we are able to flip the imaginative and prescient of an HIV-free technology right into a actuality.
BHM: Are they benefiting from entry to PrEP, or is that one thing that must be extra broadly referred to as an possibility that’s out there to them?
We all know that pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP, is underutilized. The CDC estimates that roughly 1.2 million folks within the U.S. may benefit from PrEP, however solely about 30% of these people have acquired a prescription for PrEP.
The CDC additionally recommends that each one sexually energetic younger adults and adolescents learn about PrEP as an efficient possibility for HIV prevention.
PrEP needs to be prescribed to anybody who asks for it, no matter their sexual identification or gender, what number of companions they’ve, or whether or not or not they report particular causes for HIV prevention.
Younger folks ought to really feel empowered to have open and sincere discussions with their physician about HIV prevention and PrEP as part of sexual well being and wellness. It’s step one to discovering an possibility that meets particular person wants and might finally assist to enhance general well being outcomes.
BHM: What do you suppose is holding them again in the event that they aren’t taking it?
There are a lot of the reason why younger folks aren’t taking PrEP. For some, it’s a lack of expertise about PrEP, or they might not see themselves as being somebody who has causes for HIV prevention. For others, they might pay attention to PrEP and need to think about taking it, however don’t know the place to begin.
Younger folks will be hesitant or nervous to begin conversations surrounding sexual well being and wellness with their physician or care crew.
There may also be anxieties about their pals or household discovering their PrEP treatment or challenges in adhering to a PrEP routine.
That’s why addressing these obstacles by way of elevated consciousness, stigma discount, and improved well being care entry is essential to enhancing PrEP uptake amongst youth and a core focus of ViiV Healthcare’s work.
BHM: What ought to we learn about PrEP?
PrEP is extremely efficient at stopping HIV acquired from intercourse when taken as prescribed, but it surely additionally isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy.
There are a number of PrEP choices out there, together with long-acting injectable PrEP and each day oral capsules, that may give folks the flexibleness to decide on the strategy that works greatest for them!
Having an open and sincere dialogue with a health care provider about HIV prevention as part of sexual well being and wellness could be a nice first step to discovering an possibility that meets an iindividual’sneeds.
Younger individuals who need to study extra about PrEP can take a look at ViiV’s dialog information to assist begin a dialog with their physician immediately.
