HIV Prevention
ABOUT PrEP And HIV
Am I at risk for HIV?
HIV can affect anyone regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, age, or where they live. One out of every seven people living with HIV is unaware of their infection. People at greatest risk for HIV infection include those who have an HIV-positive partner, who share needles or syringes, who have unprotected anal sex, or who have unprotected vaginal sex with multiple partners over time.
Esperanza Health Center provides confidential HIV testing services. For those who test positive for HIV, Esperanza Health Center’s HIV Care Team provides a range of coordinated health care and support services—please visit https://esperanzahealth.com/services/hiv-care/ to learn more.
What is PrEP?
PrEP, which stands for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis, is an antiviral medication that can prevent HIV. It must be taken daily to prevent HIV exposure in the same way birth control might prevent pregnancy.
Truvada and Descovy
Truvada and Descovy are the brand names for the two currently-available PrEP medications. They contain two medicines, tenofovir, and emtricitabine, that are used in combination with other medicines to treat HIV. Truvada and Descovy can only be used to prevent HIV for persons who have not received an HIV diagnosis, so it is crucial to contact us if you believe you are at risk for HIV exposure.
Interested in PrEP?
If you are at risk for HIV exposure, we have trained Prevention Specialists eager to respond to questions and concerns, and who are readily available to share other avenues of prevention if desired. They will provide you with screening, arrange for HIV testing, and register you for our HIV Prevention Program. We are here to assist with insurance issues, find affordable options for PrEP, and support our clients in holistic health and wellness.
Additional HIV Prevention Support
Our health care team members care deeply about our patients’ long-term health and desire to walk alongside them as they pursue wellness in every area of life.
We have trained Prevention Specialists eager to respond to questions and concerns, and who are readily available to share other avenues of prevention if desired. Please call us at (215) 302-3600 and ask to speak with a member of our HIV Prevention Team.