By Dinah Olson, PA-C<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Happy holidays from Oswego County Opportunity Centers for Reproductive Health! \u00a0While you are busy planning your holiday season I\u2019d like you to know about another form of preparation that has been gaining momentum.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Have you heard of PrEP? PrEP stands for Pr<\/strong>e-e<\/strong>xposure p<\/strong>rophylaxis. It is an HIV prevention approach that consists of taking daily medication that has been shown to substantially decrease the risk of acquiring HIV, the virus that can cause AIDS.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n PrEP is recommended for people who are at high risk of HIV infection, but who are HIV negative. It is used in addition to other known prevention strategies such as use of condoms. Currently there are 2 medications that may be used. Truvada has been used since 2012 and the more recent option is Descovy. Both medications are pills that are taken once daily.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n PrEP medications have been shown to be safe and effective. Like any medication, there can be side effects and people should be screened by their healthcare provider to determine if they are a good candidate prior to starting treatment. As you might suspect, this type of care can be costly. The good news is there are many programs in New York that cover the cost of necessary office visits, lab work and the medication.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Thankfully, new HIV infections are declining. But did you know 21 percent of new HIV diagnoses in New York State in 2017 were women? In contrast, women represented only 8.4 percent of those who accessed PrEP that same year. Several awareness campaigns have been launched to increase awareness about PrEP and increase its use among eligible women.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At OCO\u2019s Centers for Reproductive Health we have trained providers who can make PrEP available to people who may be at increased risk of acquiring HIV.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you know someone who might benefit from PrEP, encourage them to contact their healthcare provider. Sharing this information might be the best holiday gift holiday gift you can give.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Resources:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n NY State PrEP Assistance program hotline number: 1 800-542-2437<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For more information on PrEP online visit:<\/p>\n cdc.gov<\/p>\n health.ny.gov<\/p>\n prepforsex.org<\/p>\n <\/p>\n For more information on our services visit us on the web at thecentersatoco.org or visit our Facebook page.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Dinah Olson, PA-C Happy holidays from Oswego County Opportunity Centers for Reproductive Health! \u00a0While you are busy planning your holiday season I\u2019d like you to know about another form of preparation that has been gaining momentum. Have you heard of PrEP? PrEP stands for Pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is an HIV prevention approach…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2730,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[1044,1043,859,860,1042,1041],"class_list":["post-2729","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-aids","tag-hiv","tag-oco","tag-oswego-county-opportunities","tag-prep","tag-womens-reproductive-health"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/CDC-Vital-Signs-blog-Nov-2015.jpg?fit=523%2C523&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":546,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=546","url_meta":{"origin":2729,"position":0},"title":"Lanika Mabrey","author":"Staff","date":"February 27, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Great Loss, Greater Gains By Samantha Mendoza | Photography by Alice G. Patterson Lanika Mabrey is a familiar figure on the Westside of Syracuse. She walks through its streets frequently, bundled up in warm clothing in the cool winter weather, distributing educational pamphlets about sexual health to local bodegas and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Inspire_Lanika-Mabrey_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Inspire_Lanika-Mabrey_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Inspire_Lanika-Mabrey_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Inspire_Lanika-Mabrey_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Z_Inspire_Lanika-Mabrey_0317_ONLINE.jpg?fit=1200%2C793&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2403,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2403","url_meta":{"origin":2729,"position":1},"title":"Women\u2019s health: Reproductive Health Clinic: So much more than most people realize","author":"Staff","date":"June 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"By Heather Shannon, MS, CNM, NP, MPH \u00a0 When you think of \u201cReproductive Health Clinic\u201d what are your first thoughts? Unwelcoming? Low quality? Busy? Understaffed? Uncomfortable? Cheap? Not for me? Well, it\u2019s time to get a better look! Let me introduce you to Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. (OCO) Centers for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Health"","block_context":{"text":"Health","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=126"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2847,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2847","url_meta":{"origin":2729,"position":2},"title":"WOMEN\u2019S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: Pelvic Pain, Painful Periods, and Infertility: All About Endometriosis","author":"Staff","date":"March 3, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Lisa Sousou \u00a0 What is endometriosis? March is National Endometriosis Awareness Month. Some 176 million women around the world, 5 million in the United States alone, are afflicted with this commonly painful, sometimes debilitating condition. Caused by tissue similar to the inside lining of the uterus (endometrium) growing outside\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/gut-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2658,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2658","url_meta":{"origin":2729,"position":3},"title":"WOMEN\u2019S REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: Getting Real with IUDs","author":"Staff","date":"October 31, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"By Heather Shannon, MS, CNM, NP, MPH Most of us know about intrauterine devices (IUD) and most of us have heard the horror stories surrounding IUDs. Many years ago, there was only one type of IUD, which did come with problems. However, over the years, IUDs have been improved and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/IUD.jpg?fit=820%2C544&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/IUD.jpg?fit=820%2C544&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/IUD.jpg?fit=820%2C544&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/IUD.jpg?fit=820%2C544&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2570,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2570","url_meta":{"origin":2729,"position":4},"title":"REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: Get the Facts about Ovarian Cancer","author":"Staff","date":"September 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"BY LISA SOUSOU, PA \u00a0 September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Although the rate of its diagnosis has decreased over the past two decades, ovarian cancer still has the lowest survival rate of any female cancer, and was responsible for an estimated nearly 14,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2019.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/women-health.jpg?fit=1200%2C709&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2805,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2805","url_meta":{"origin":2729,"position":5},"title":"Women\u2019s Reproductive Health: Have a Heart and Keep It Strong!","author":"Staff","date":"February 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Heather Shannon, MS, CMN, WHNP, MPH \u00a0 February is heart health month and so much effort is focused on keeping our hearts strong and healthy.\u00a0 We know that diet and exercise are imperative in keeping women on the right track, but genetics can get in the way, despite doing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2729","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2729"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2729\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2731,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2729\/revisions\/2731"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2730"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2729"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2729"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2729"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}