Posted on October 06, 2016
Source: The Advocate
"Nearly six in 10 gay and bisexual men are unaware that pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, significantly reduces the risk of HIV infection, according to a new study from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins.
The findings, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that just 42 percent of the 401 HIV-negative men surveyed about PrEP knew of the strategy’s existence at all. It involves taking an anti-HIV drug — Truvada being the only one approved for this purpose so far — as a measure to prevent becoming infected with HIV. As researchers found, regular visits to a physician did not affect overall awareness. Eighty-two percent of respondents had been to the doctor in the past year, while 46 percent were tested for a sexually transmitted infection over the same time period.
Black and Latino men were the least likely study participants to know that PrEP, which has been shown in clinical trials to prevent 99 percent of new HIV infections, is an option that will benefit their long-term health outcomes.
A majority (60 percent) of all respondents, after being told of the impact of PrEP, said that they would be willing to try the preventive strategy.
According to Julia R.G. Raifman, the lead researcher on the study, these findings show how important it is not only to educate the public about the impact of PrEP but also physicians. Many may be unaware of the lifesaving advances in HIV prevention medication, which may create a culture of fear and misinformation."
