Mississippi is battling large numbers of people living with HIV and high rates of new HIV diagnoses. A new approach to HIV prevention – PrEP – can help keep reduce the risk of HIV transmission.
PrEP Can Protect You from HIV
If you are healthy and sexually active, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) medication can give you highly effective protection against HIV. It's the first new approach to HIV prevention in years.
Combined with healthy sexual practices, PrEP can make a difference in the lives of those at high risk for HIV transmission.
PrEP medication is prescribed by a medical doctor and may be covered by your health insurance.
First, Know Your HIV Status
Choosing the right way to stay healthy depends on knowing your HIV status so that you can take steps to treat or prevent the disease.
Sexually active individuals should be tested for HIV and STDs at least every six months.
It is vitally important that you be tested regularly for HIV if you’re sexually active. HIV is completely preventable. By protecting yourself and helping share the importance of protection with others, we can bring the risk of HIV down for everyone.
We also encourage sexually active individuals to:
- be faithful to your partner
- use condoms correctly and consistently
- talk with a physician about your sexual behavior and its possible health impact
Free app for information and support: Your PSH
Your PSH (Personal Sexual Health ) is a free app that connects you with knowledge and support for safe sexual health. It gives the signs and symptoms of disease to watch for, estimates your HIV risk, locates free testing, provides important hotlines, and tells you the best ways to protect your health.