Stay Healthy All Year – NBHAAD Health Resource Guide

Stay Healthy All Year with this NBHAAD Health Resource Guide. It’s Orlando’s ultimate 2019 NBHAAD health resource round up. On February 7th we marked National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD) but one day is not enough for this important issue. So we created this quick reference guide with HIV facts, what you can do plus tons of FREE* resources. Negative or positive, you can stay healthy all year.

HIV’s Impact on the Black Community

ORANGE COUNTY, FLORIDA

  • 41% of all new cases of HIV were among black individuals (2)
  • 65% of new cases of HIV in females were among black individuals (2)
  • 57% of new cases of HIV between the ages of 13-19 were among black individuals (2)

FLORIDA

  • 46% of those living with HIV are Black while only 17% of the population is African American or black (3)

NATIONALLY

  • 42% of those living with HIV are Black while only 17% of the population is Black (3)
  • 44% of those who could potentially benefit from Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) were African American, however, just 1% were prescribed PrEP  (4)
  • Of those on PrEP, only 11.2% were African Americans or blacks (5)

But what can I do?

Just follow these 4 simple tips and have a huge impact on your community!

  1. GET EDUCATED– Get educated about HIV
  2. GET TESTED – Get tested regularly.
  3. GET TREATED – Negative or Positive you should be seeing a doctor
  4. GET INVOLVED – Get involved in your community

Orlando’s 2019 NBHAAD Health Resource Guide

1. GET EDUCATED

 

Did you know some people think HIV went away? It didn’t. Get educated from reputable sources –

 

 

2. GET TESTED

 

Did you know that if your having sex you should routinely be tested for HIV? Here are three main places to get a HIV test –

 

  • Doctor – If you have a doctor, ask them to include it in your routine lab work.
  • Pharmacies – Many pharmacies like Walgreens now offer HIV testing and PrEP.
  • Talk, Test, Treat – A FDOH local guide to all HIV testing resources with a complete listing of organizations that offer HIV prevention and testing resources. Most of these resources are FREE* or offered on a nominal sliding scale.
  • Know Your Status – FDOH statewide guide to all HIV testing resources

 

3. GET TREATED

 

Did you know that whether you’re NEGATIVE or POSITIVE you should be in medical care?

 

HIV POSITIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT

 

Did you know that there is no reason why someone in America that has HIV should not be in medical care? Did you know that you may be eligible to receive services for FREE*? Here are the primary methods for people with HIV to access medical care –

 

  • Doctors Office – How do you know which ones are the best? Determine your needs, check current reviews and verify their credentials. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) and The Best Doctors List set the gold standard for physician specialty certification.
  • Medicare/Medicaid/Veterans Affairs – Federal programs that provide health coverage for those that qualify.
  • Ryan White – Services are provided on a sliding scale and FREE* for those that qualify. It’s a federally funded program that offers assistance to those that are underinsured or uninsured. It does not required citizenship documentation. Some of the services Ryan White may be able to provide are:
    • HIV medical care
    • Doctors visits
    • Labs
    • Medication
    • Medical Case Management
    • Transportation
    • Substance Abuse Treatment
    • Mental Health
    • Food
  • AHF – Provides Ryan White medical services on a sliding scale or FREE* for those that qualify plus it’s the world’s largest HIV nonprofit. (407) 204-7000
  • Florida Department of Health – Provides Ryan White medical services on a sliding scale or FREE* for those that qualify
  • Orlando Immunology Center – One of the leading centers in the country for the prevention, treatment and evaluation of HIV. (407) 647-3960

 

HIV NEGATIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT

 

Did you know that PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) can prevent HIV? PrEP is a medical regimen that includes doctor visits, labs and taking 1 pill once a day and can be up to 99% effective at preventing HIV. Did you know that you may be eligible to receive these services for FREE*?

 

  • Please PrEP Me – Is a national data base of doctors and organizations that provide PrEP.
  • FDOH PrEP Provider List for the entire state of Florida. Provides PrEP on a nominal sliding scale or FREE* to those that qualify.
  • Doctors Office –  Many doctors provide PrEP. Just ask!
  • Florida Department of Health – Provides PrEP on a sliding scale or FREE* to those that qualify.
  • Medicare/Medicaid/Veterans Affairs – Federal programs that provide health coverage for those that qualify including PrEP. Just ask!
  • Orlando Immunology Center – The first to prescribe PrEP in the Central Florida area. (407) 647-3960

 

YIKES! EMERGENCY! I might have been exposed to HIV at work or through sex! What should I do? Did you know that Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) can prevent HIV if started soon enough after exposure? PEP is a medical regimen that must be started within 72 hours of exposure and includes doctor visits, labs and medication. It greatly reduces the risk of transmission.

 

 

4. GET INVOLVED

 

Did you know that one simple, easy action could help save your community?

 

  • Talk – Talk to a friend, coworker or family member about what you’ve learned. Find out what their strategy is for staying healthy all year long.
  • Social Media – The POWER is in your hands. With a simple click of a button, you can “share” this and give your entire social network a guide to live healthy all year long. Sharing truly is caring. #NBHAAD #OICorlando
  • Be An Influencer – Follow all these resources on social media so that you always know the latest information. Share with friends and become the healthcare influencer your friends need.
  • The Central Florida HIV Planning Council (CFHPC)is responsible for planning HIV prevention and care for Central Florida’s 3.2 million residents. It oversees the Ryan White program that serves over 5,000 HIV/AIDS patients. Join today!
  • Volunteer – Volunteer at one of the many Central Florida HIV nonprofits.
  • Join a group –

 

Whether negative or positive, with these resources, you can stay healthy all year!

 

 

 

Sam Graper,
Community Relations Manager, Orlando Immunology Center

 

DON’T MISS A THING! Join the convo on our social media channels – FacebookInstagramTwitter and Linked In. #OICorlando

 

*FREE – Provided at no cost to you. Everything has value. You and your health are the most valuable. The programs or services listed above marked “FREE*” are primarily paid for through various state and federal grants like CDC prevention or the Ryan White grants. Many services are offered on a sliding scale which simply means people pay what they can afford. Whether its a “FREE” HIV test, “FREE” HIV care, or “FREE” PrEP, it has tremendous value even though you might not pay…the most valuable thing is you being able to stay healthy all year.

 

References-

 

  1. Center for Disease Control and Prevention – National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
  2. Florida Department of Health; Florida Health Charts 2017-2013
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2017; vol. 29. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/reports/hiv-surveillance.html. Published November 2018. Accessed February 8th, 2019.
  4. The American Journal of Managed Care, Despite Increasing Rates of PrEP Usage, Disparities Remain Among African Americans, Latinos, Jamie Rosenburg, Published March 16th, 2018.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morbidity and and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis, by Race and Ethnicity — United States, 2014–2016, Weekly / October 19, 2018 / 67(41);1147–1150.

 

 

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