HJNO Nov/Dec 2023

52 NOV / DEC 2023 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS COLUMN COMMUNITY HEALTH DECEMBER 1 is World AIDS Day. While healthcare has made significant strides in diagnosing, treating, and improving the quality of life for individuals living with HIV, work continues to reduce the stigma around HIV testing and linkage to care in southern communities. More than 21,000 people are currently living with HIV in Louisiana according to the Louisiana Department of Health and AIDSVu.org. While access to free testing has increased throughout the years, the struggle to link newly diagnosed HIV patients to follow-up care creates an ongoing challenge. The uncertainty around the cost of care, as well as community health access to specialty providers in the infectious disease area, often creates additional barriers for HIV patients. While there is significant funding for outreach efforts to build awareness, more work needs to focus on engaging newly diagnosed HIV patients to actively seek out and participate in follow-up care. One way is to build awareness around pharmacy programs and the benefits of in- house pharmacies to HIV patients. Stepha- nie Thompson, PharmD, believes support- ing LGBTQ+ patients should be a priority. “In addition to comprehensive care, our community health centers provide access to a wide range of antiretroviral medica- tions and preventive treatments. Addi- tionally, we offer confidential counseling services, adherence support programs, and assistance with navigating insurance coverage, all tailored to the unique health- care needs of our LGBTQ+ community. By building awareness around these types of THROUGH HIV AWARENESS AND LGBTQ+ INCLUSIVITY Reducing the Stigma