Newswise — BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - According to a new study, gay and bisexual men in the south have the greatest risk for HIV. These statistics are alarming and raise the question of what can be done to decrease the number of infections seen in the south.
Jeanne Marrazzo, M.D., a leading researcher in HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, provides information on what people can do to protect themselves and those around them:
• We now have excellent tools to prevent HIV, notably daily pills in the form of Truvada (PrEP)—which can prevent 9 out of 10 cases of HIV from unprotected sex between men. However, groups like the young men described in this report have some of the lowest rates of PrEP use.
• To access tools like PrEP, you have to admit you’re at risk for getting HIV—which for many young men equates to disclosing same-sex behavior or coming out. This can be very difficult in some settings, especially parts of the South, where stigma and shame can be associated with this type of risk.
• We absolutely have to do more to break down the barriers for these young men to access and USE PrEP and other tools to keep themselves healthy and HIV-free. These statistics should alarm anyone who cares about the health of our young people in the U.S., especially the Southeast.
Marrazzo serves as the director of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Division of Infectious Diseases. She is available for further comment via phone or the UAB News Studio for live or taped interviews.
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