Increasing Access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Baltimore

Increasing Access to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Baltimore

At year-end 2020, there were 31,676 people aged 13+ living with diagnosed HIV in Maryland, including the 724 individuals who were diagnosed in 2020. As of 2019 Maryland ranked eighth among states and territories in adult/ adolescent HIV diagnosis rates (per 100,000). It is possible to decrease chances of contracting HIV among high-risk individuals, mainly through Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), a medicine taken to prevent HIV. PrEP is one major tool in preventing HIV transmission but there are many others, including regular HIV and other STD testing for high-risk individuals, tools to help individuals have safe sex conversations with their partner(s), regular counseling sessions with a social worker, and community trust in the available services and programs. Join Shanna Dell, BSN, MPH, as she discusses how the Baltimore City Health Department is working to prevent the spread of HIV in Baltimore.