UConn Health in Farmington has been working to reach underserved populations and educate them about PrEP for HIV.
PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a medication people can take to prevent HIV, providing another alternative to condoms or abstinence.
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WATCH HEREThe FDA approved the first PrEP medication in 2012.
Even after other drugs have come on the market, John Kajan, a patient at UConn Health, said he has noticed people still have reservations about it. So, he is spreading the word about his experience, including talking to a friend from home in Canada.
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SIGN UP “He says, 'Well I don't think I need it. I'm not very frequent in my encounters.' I said, 'Well, it's not about promiscuity, it's about safety.' It also takes away anxiety for me. It's one less thing to worry about,” said Kajan, who now lives in New Haven.
“It's like having a little shield on you all the time, and I feel safe with it,” Kajan added.
Kajan first approached his doctor about going on PrEP and they said he needed a specialist, which is how he found Meiling Ortiz, the PrEP navigator at UConn Health.
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“The medication is for everybody. There's always a stigma that it is only for the LGBTQ [community], or only for this, this population. No, it's for everybody,” said Ortiz.
Ortiz said she wants people, especially those in underserved populations, to know that this is a viable option, HIV is preventable and this medication could potentially save your life.
“We're trying to have the providers be more comfortable and knowledgeable with prep medication so they could prescribe it to their patients,” said Ortiz.
PrEP does not protect a person against other sexual transmitted diseases (STDs), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
