In early 2021, the Tennessee Department of Health released their 2019 HIV Epidemiological Profile (or “Surveillance Report”). According to the report, in 2019 there were 156 people newly diagnosed with HIV in Davidson County. For comparison, in 2018, there were 134 people newly diagnosed with HIV, and between 2015 and 2019, there were an average of 147 people newly diagnosed with HIV each year.
Though new HIV diagnoses increased in Davidson County in 2019, it is not possible to attribute this change to any individual factor. Robb L. Garman, MPH, Director of HIV Epidemiology and Surveillance with the Tennessee Department of Health wrote, “it’s really hard to know if and to what degree the increase is indicative of any ‘true’ change in incidence AND if these are the only factors. […] we tend not to put too much weight in a single year’s rise.” Meredith Brantley, PhD, MPH, the HIV Program Director at the Tennessee Department of Health, noted there are several factors that may contribute to the fluctuation: “increases or shifts in targeted testing, strengthening lab reporting/surveillance, changes in other prevention & care interventions, transmission clusters,” just to name a few.
Although there is still a way to go before we can get to zero new HIV transmissions in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, Music City PrEP Clinic (MCPC) positively contributes to HIV prevention efforts by expanding access to HIV testing and PrEP.
HIV Testing
As MCPC has grown, we have been able to provide HIV testing to more people. In 2018, MCPC provided HIV testing to 78 people. In 2019, we provided HIV testing to 1,035 people. In 2020, we provided HIV testing to 3,034 people.
The CDC estimates that 14% of Tennesseans living with HIV don’t know they have HIV. By increasing access to HIV testing, MCPC works toward ensuring that everyone living with HIV knows their status. That is the first step toward engaging in HIV treatment. When someone is fully engaged in HIV treatment, not only is their health protected, but they cannot transmit HIV to others through sex. This life-changing development in HIV treatment is commonly referred to by the slogan “undetectable equals untransmittable.”
PrEP
MCPC also contributes to HIV prevention by dramatically increasing the volume of PrEP prescribed in Tennessee. In 2018, MCPC prescribed PrEP to nearly 80 people, while by the end of 2019, MCPC prescribed PrEP to nearly 1,000 people. In 2020, we prescribed PrEP to over 2,000 people.
According to the most recent data, there were only around 2,706 people taking PrEP statewide in Tennessee in 2019. Despite having only begun prescribing high volumes of PrEP in 2019 and primarily serving people in the Nashville area, MCPC prescribed over a third of the total PrEP prescribed in the entire state of Tennessee in that year.
We know PrEP works and can help people stay HIV-negative while being able to enjoy sex and relationships free from the anxiety of HIV or the restrictions of trying to avoid exposure to HIV. We also know PrEP can be very challenging to access, especially in the South. MCPC helps people overcome barriers to accessing PrEP by making the entire process free, using innovative service delivery methods like telemedicine, and providing sexual health services in an environment that combats stigma and shame. Each person who takes PrEP protects themselves and their community from HIV transmission.
MCPC is committed to providing HIV testing and PrEP to everyone who needs them, with the goal that one day we will see zero new HIV transmissions.
In early 2021, the Tennessee Department of Health released their 2019 HIV Epidemiological Profile (or “Surveillance Report”). According to the report, in 2019 there were 156 people newly diagnosed with HIV in Davidson County. For comparison, in 2018, there were 134 people newly diagnosed with HIV, and between 2015 and 2019, there were an average of 147 people newly diagnosed with HIV each year.
Though new HIV diagnoses increased in Davidson County in 2019, it is not possible to attribute this change to any individual factor. Robb L. Garman, MPH, Director of HIV Epidemiology and Surveillance with the Tennessee Department of Health wrote, “it’s really hard to know if and to what degree the increase is indicative of any ‘true’ change in incidence AND if these are the only factors. […] we tend not to put too much weight in a single year’s rise.” Meredith Brantley, PhD, MPH, the HIV Program Director at the Tennessee Department of Health, noted there are several factors that may contribute to the fluctuation: “increases or shifts in targeted testing, strengthening lab reporting/surveillance, changes in other prevention & care interventions, transmission clusters,” just to name a few.
Although there is still a way to go before we can get to zero new HIV transmissions in Nashville and Middle Tennessee, Music City PrEP Clinic (MCPC) positively contributes to HIV prevention efforts by expanding access to HIV testing and PrEP.
HIV Testing
As MCPC has grown, we have been able to provide HIV testing to more people. In 2018, MCPC provided HIV testing to 78 people. In 2019, we provided HIV testing to 1,035 people. In 2020, we provided HIV testing to 3,034 people.
The CDC estimates that 14% of Tennesseans living with HIV don’t know they have HIV (https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pdf/policies/profiles/cdc-hiv-tennessee-SSP.pdf). By increasing access to HIV testing, MCPC works toward ensuring that everyone living with HIV knows their status. That is the first step toward engaging in HIV treatment. When someone is fully engaged in HIV treatment, not only is their health protected, but they cannot transmit HIV to others through sex. This life changing development in HIV treatment is commonly referred to by the slogan “undetectable equals untransmittable.”
PrEP
MCPC also contributes to HIV prevention by dramatically increasing the volume of PrEP prescribed in Tennessee. In 2018, MCPC prescribed PrEP to nearly 80 people, while by the end of 2019, MCPC prescribed PrEP to nearly 1,000 people. In 2020, we prescribed PrEP to over 2,000 people.
According to the most recent data, there were only around 2,706 people taking PrEP statewide in Tennessee in 2019 (https://aidsvu.org/local-data/united-states/south/tennessee/#prep). Despite having only begun prescribing high volumes of PrEP in 2019 and primarily serving people in the Nashville area, MCPC prescribed over a third of the total PrEP prescribed in the entire state of Tennessee in that year.
We know PrEP works and can help people stay HIV-negative while being able to enjoy sex and relationships free from the anxiety of HIV or the restrictions of trying to avoid exposure to HIV. We also know PrEP can be very challenging to access, especially in the South. MCPC helps people overcome barriers to accessing PrEP by making the entire process free, using innovative service delivery methods like telemedicine, and providing sexual health services in an environment that combats stigma and shame. Each person who takes PrEP protects themselves and their community from HIV transmission.
MCPC is committed to providing HIV testing and PrEP to everyone who needs them, with the goal that one day we will see zero new HIV transmissions.
