HIV prevention continues to be drawn among racial lines. According to a recently released study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Blacks are less likely than Whites to have resources to take advantage of PrEP, a drug that helps to prevent high-risk.
The study reveals the drug was used by 42 percent of at-risk Whites and just six percent of Blacks. The discrepancies often occur due to Blacks having a lack of affordable healthcare and awareness of preventive healthcare.
Racial differences also have occurred with people diagnosed with HIV who have access to retroviral drugs which can reduce the viral load to the point it is undetectable after six months and cannot be transmitted to others.
Available since 2012, PreP can prevent a person from contracting HIV.
“You do need to get an HIV test before you get on PrEP,” said Derek Wilson, who serves as the director of sexual health promotion for the Fulton County Board of Health. “You need to come in every three months for another HIV test and STD screening and we can help you find ways to cover the cost of that. So no one has to worry about the cost of PrEP.”
