How do you talk to your patients about sexual health?     Talking to patients about their sexual health is often postponed due to urgent care issues, provider discomfort, or anticipated patient discomfort.1 However, routinely taking a sexual history is important for identifying people at risk of acquiring HIV and other STIs.1 Asking patients about their sexual behaviors can help you gain a better understanding of their risk status.         HAVE THE SEXUAL HEALTH CONVERSATION           The SAFE discussion method can help you have the sexual health conversation with your patients. Download the full list of questions below.       START the sexual history conversation by stating that it is routine practice. Explain how information about your patients' sexual history will be confidential, and will enable you to provide appropriate sexual healthcare.1   ASSESS your patients' risk for acquiring STIs, including HIV. Though some patients may be at greater risk than others, it's important to have this discussion with all of your patients.1   FIND OUT about your patients' sexual history in the past 6 months and current practices through a series of questions.1   EDUCATE YOUR PATIENTS on the importance of condoms, as well as other components of a comprehensive HIV prevention approach. These include routine HIV and STI testing and sexual history conversations; the initiation of and adherence to treatment for HIV-positive patients; and additional methods for protecting HIV-negative patients, such as behavioral counseling, PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), and PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) for appropriate patients.1,2       Having specific tools at your disposal can be helpful in guiding your discussions with patients.       DOWNLOAD THE FULL GUIDE               To learn more about HIV prevention, and to register for updates, visit         Thank you for your ongoing commitment to HIV prevention,       The Gilead HIV Prevention Team       STI=sexually transmitted infection.       References: 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preexposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV infection in the United States–2014: a clinical practice guideline. ‌h‌ttp://‌www.‌cdc.‌gov/hiv/pdf/prepguidelines2014.pdf. Published 2014. Accessed July 29, 2016. 2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated guidelines for antiretroviral postexposure prophylaxis after sexual, injection drug use, or other nonoccupational exposure to HIV—United States, 2016. ‌h‌ttps://‌stacks.‌cdc.‌gov/view/cdc/38856. Published 2016. Accessed July 29, 2016.         Gilead Website  |   Terms of Use  |   Privacy Policy  |   Contact Us  |   Unsubscribe             GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and the P‌reventHIV.com Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or one of its related companies. © 2016 Gilead Sciences, Inc. 3‌33 L‌akeside D‌rive, F‌oster City, C‌A 9‌4404 All rights reserved. UNBP2704 1‌0/16