Part 4: Understanding HIV Risks and Prevention: Sexual Health and Injection Drug Use

Target Audience
This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other health professionals who care for patients from rural and underserved areas.

Program Overview
Increasing rates of injection drug use and the high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in rural and underserved areas make residents particularly vulnerable to HIV transmission. Assessment of sexual history and injection drug use is therefore essential to identify at-risk patients who may be eligible for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This activity, which is Part 4 of a four-part series titled Preparing Primary Care Clinicians for PrEP: Addressing HIV Care Gaps in Rural and Underserved Communities, will cover risk assessment strategies to assist with identifying individuals who are at increased risk for HIV based on injection drug use or sexual behavior. Best practices for integrating HIV prevention strategies, including PrEP, will also be discussed.

This activity is a recording from a two-part webinar series that took place in April 2021. Please note that any data, information, and guidance presented in the activity are subject to change.

Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:

Apply HIV risk strategies and testing recommendations in rural and underserved areas
Differentiate between available PrEP formulations based on safety, efficacy, and recommended uses
Employ strategies to improve follow-up care and adherence to PrEP