While new data from the CDC suggests choosing for people between the ages of 13 and 64 years of age, only 40% have ever been questioned, according to data in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).
“The new data, published on National HIV Testing Day, emphasize the critical need to scale up HIV trial to end America’s HIV epidemic,” the CDC states. “The study of 2016-2017 data from a national population-based survey implies most people are not getting the suggested screening, even in areas with a high strain of HIV.”
The Research Number
The study’s announcement follows an initiative spearheaded by the Trump Administration calling for a 75% decline in new HIV cases over the next five years and a 90% decline in a decade. The Health and Human Services (HHS) leadership “Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America” is asking for $291 million in FY2020 to begin a three-phased program that includes:
- Investing in geographic hotspots through details like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and a neighborhood health center program to make pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) more widely accessible to a high-risk population.
- Using data to address healthcare needs at the local level
- Building local teams to increase HIV prevention and treatment.
The action will target geographic areas with the highest number of new HIV matters, including the 50 local jurisdictions and seven states with a high balance of new HIV cases in rural areas, specifically: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.
If supported, the HHS-led initiative is calling on CDC to take an active role with the Health Resources and Services Administration, Indian Health Service, NIH, Office of the HHS Assistant Secretary for Health, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
The most recent CDC findings on HIV include:
- Less than 30% of people thought “at risk of acquiring HIV” were tested in the past year.
- In the 50 local jurisdictions where more than half of HIV diagnoses occur, less than 35% of people recommended for annual HIV testing were tested in the past year.
- Only 26% of people living in rural areas (who were recommended for testing) had been tested for HIV in the past year.
CDC advises people with specific risk factors to be chosen at least once a year. That includes:
- Sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men;
- People who inject medications;
- Anyone who has had more than one sex partner since their last HIV test;
- People who have been diagnosed with another sexually spread infection, hepatitis, or tuberculosis
“A contrary HIV test result can lead to prevention options like PrEP, a medication to prevent HIV acquisition,” CDC says. “A positive result should lead that person to care and treatment; ideally on the day, the diagnosis is made.
“HIV treatment reduces the amount of HIV in a person to a meager level—known as viral suppression or having an undetectable viral load. People who reach and manage viral suppression have completely no risk of spreading HIV to others through sex,” CDC states.
The new study mentions promising novel approaches to increase access to HIV testing. These programs included interracial and routinized HIV screening in a variety of healthcare settings, as well as scaling up partner notification and social/sexual network screening modes, and mass distribution of HIV self-tests.
Conclusion
According to ASHP, pharmacologists play a vital role in helping to stop and control HIV, including:
- HIV testing
- The practice of HIV infection
- Treatment of HIV is critical patient populations
- HIV treatment failure
- Administration of HIV disease state complications
- Treatment and prevention of opportunistic infections
- Inhibition of HIV infection
- HIV training
- Social services and HIV infection
- Professional meeting
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