Each year, September 27 marks National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, a day that highlights the unique impact HIV and AIDS have on queer men. In order to raise awareness, many people use the hashtags #NGMHAAD and #StopHIVTogether on their social media platforms.
Facts and Figures
From 2015 to 2019, HIV diagnoses decreased 9% among men who identified as gay and bisexual overall.
According to the CDC, in 2019, there were 36,801 new HIV diagnoses in the US and dependent areas. Approximately 69% (25,552) were among gay and bisexual men. Within this group, 37% were Black/African American and 32% Hispanic/Latino men, making them the most affected racial groups.
Why are queer men, specifically queer men of color, so disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS? The CDC highlights multiple social and structural issues that continue to drive up this statistic such as:
- HIV/AIDS stigma
- Homophobia & discrimination
- Poverty
- Limited access to high-quality health care
Apicha CHC's Services
1. Free HIV Testing.
Without knowing your HIV status, it’s impossible to get the adequate care you need and makes it easy to pass on HIV to others without knowing it. Apicha CHC provides completely confidential, free HIV testing services.
To sign up for our HIV Testing services, click here and select HIV/STD testing from the drop-down.
To request a home HIV test kit, use our website or call us at 866-274-2429.
2. We can get you PrEP.
Have you heard of PrEP, the daily HIV prevention pill? If you become part of Apicha CHC's PrEP Program, you will be assigned a medical provider at Apicha CHC who will assess whether PrEP is right for you and will prescribe you Truvada as PrEP.
Our PrEP staff can also help you:
- Enroll in insurance or sign up for special PrEP cost programs.
- Set up your appointments.
- Remind you when your pills are running out.
- You can easily pick up your prescription at Apicha CHC's brand new in-house pharmacy or you can use our free delivery service!
You can request an appointment to get started on PrEP here. Be sure to select the appointment type as "Access to PrEP/PEP".
3. Become a part of our HIV Clinic.
If you know you are HIV-positive and don't currently have a medical provider or aren't happy with the one you do have, we welcome you into our Apicha CHC Family. At Apicha CHC, all of our medical providers specialize in HIV care. This means your provider will not only take care of your HIV needs, but also your overall health.
If you are not an existing patient and would like to become one, please call 212-334-6029 during business hours or use our contact form to leave us your basic information and we will be in touch with you within two business days.
If you are an existing patient, please use our secure patient portal instead.
Additional HIV/AIDS Resources
When it comes to HIV services, Apicha CHC has you covered. We have a multitude of blog posts with everything you need to know, whether you are HIV positive or are interested in HIV prevention.
Apicha CHC’s HIV & PrEP Blog Posts
- What Does HIV Neutral Mean?
- Early Signs of HIV
- For the Love of Your Partner, Know Your Status
- How to Tell Your Partner(s) You Have an STD
- Gay Sex and Primary Care: What you Need to Know
- Everything You Need to Know About STDs and STIs
- What is Safe Sex?
- Transgender Sexual Health Guide: Safer Sex
- Men’s Health Needs Under the Age of 30
- What to Know About Taking PrEP
- Are There Any Side Effects of PrEP?
- What you Need to Know About PrEP, the HIV Prevention Pill
- Difficulties You May Have Getting Access to PrEP
- PrEP and Vacation: Best Practices for Staying on Top of Your PrEP
