CDC Study: HIV Prevention Pill Underutilized; WV Residents at Risk

Why it matters locally: The CDC's findings on underutilization of HIV prevention medication (PrEP) is directly relevant to West Virginia due to the state's existing challenges with public health and healthcare access. West Virginia faces significant hurdles including a large rural population, limited access to specialized healthcare services, and socioeconomic factors that could hinder PrEP uptake. Because West virginia already has limited access to healthcare, lower socioeconomic status and disproportionately affects particular rural areas, any issues identified nationwide are likely to disproportionately affect West Virginia.

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Denver, CO - A new analysis released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication used to prevent HIV infection, is not being utilized by a significant portion of the at-risk population in the United States. The findings were presented at the 2018 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. The CDC analysis highlights that disparities exist in PrEP access and uptake, with people of color being disproportionately affected. Data suggests that a considerable number of individuals who could benefit from PrEP are not receiving or utilizing the medication. Further details regarding the specific methodology of the CDC analysis, the size and demographics of the study population, and specific data points on PrEP usage rates were not immediately available. Further information is expected to be released by the CDC in the near future.