Sandy Crest Medical Centre - Health Tips
Preventing
HIV/AIDS
Post Exposure Prophylaxis
(PEP) is the short-term use of antiretroviral treatments to reduce
the chances of HIV infection after potential exposure – e.g. needle
sticks, rape and unprotected sexual intercourse. Unfortunately over
the Crop Over season too may will become carried away as a result of
the overindulgence in alcohol and other “recreational” drugs;
consequentially such euphoric minds can lead to sexual indiscretion
and some may even be date raped. Ideally, PEP should be started
immediately after potential HIV exposure; however, PEP may be
started up to 72 hours after exposure. Studies show that there is
more than a 75% reduction in the incidence of HIV infection when one
compared those who took PEP to those who didn’t (Barr, 1999).
However, it must be emphasized that PEP does not completely
eliminate the chances of contracting HIV after unprotected sexual
intercourse. Hence, prevention, through the adoption of responsible
sexual behaviour (abstinence and condom use) is still the best
approach to eliminating the chances of contracting HIV / AIDS.
|
|
|
|
|
