New cases of HIV in Alaska over the past five years were highly preventable, according to a recent bulletin from the state’s Department of Health's Section of Epidemiology.
Data from cases over the past five years showed that over 80% of people diagnosed with HIV in the Anchorage and Mat-Su Borough areas had seen a healthcare provider in the year before they acquired the virus.
Liz Ohlsen, a physician with the section, said providers should screen their patients for vulnerability and provide information about pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.
“We want people to know their HIV risk and to know that there's preventive medicine out there called pre-exposure prophylaxis,” Ohlsen said. “This is medicine that can be taken to prevent HIV.”
PrEP can be taken as a pill or injection and it’s highly effective at preventing transmission of HIV. Ohlsen said those most at risk for HIV infection are men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, and anyone who has sex with someone with undiagnosed or untreated HIV.
Ohlsen said the state is working on educating providers about prescribing PrEP and that it’s much easier than it used to be.
“Prescribing PrEP doesn't have to be complicated,” Ohlsen said. “It used to be much more complicated than it is now. It's now very straightforward and can be fit into a primary care visit.”
She said providers can find more information on prescribing PrEP on the section of epidemiology’s website. Patients can see any prescribing provider or she said there are also online services that provide PrEP for free by mail.
