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Parents' attitudes toward contraceptive delivery methods have been shown to impact their adolescents' use of contraceptive methods. However, little is known about the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) delivery method attitudes of parents of sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents assigned male at birth (AMAB). This exploratory, mixed-method formative study examined the PrEP delivery method preferences among a convenience sample of 33 parents of SGM adolescents AMAB who live in Texas. Participants completed an online survey, where they selected their preferred PrEP method for their SGM adolescent AMAB to use: PrEP as a daily oral pill, a bimonthly injectable, or a yearly implant. Parents answered an open-ended question about their reasons for choosing their preferred method. We analyzed data through descriptive statistics and inductive content analysis. Findings from this convenience sample suggest that there is not one PrEP delivery method that parents of SGM adolescents AMAB prefer: one third of parents (33.3%) selected PrEP as a daily oral pill, 45.5% selected PrEP as a bimonthly injectable, and 21.2% selected PrEP as an annual implant. Parents cited multiple reasons for selecting a delivery method over another, with the most prevalent reasons being adherence (57.6%), access or cost (21.2%), and generic convenience or ease (21.2%). Findings from this formative exploratory study sets the stage for future research and intervention development in increasing parental knowledge, preferences, and preference motivations for PrEP delivery methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, adolescents (those 13–18 years old) are a key age group of those at risk for and affected by HIV. Although HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), one promising HIV prevention tool, is approved for eligible adolescents to use, adolescent access to PrEP is limited by primary care providers' (PCPs) willingness to prescribe it. This study examined which Theoretical Domains Framework factors are associated with PCPs' intention to prescribe PrEP to sexually active adolescents. A total of 770 licensed PCPs practicing family medicine, internal medicine, or pediatrics in the United States completed an online cross-sectional questionnaire. Participants were recruited through a Qualtrics panel. We used a hierarchical regression to assess the association of demographic characteristics, sexual health care practices, and the 10 Theoretical Domains Framework factors with intention to prescribe PrEP to sexually active adolescents aged 13–18 years old. Although nearly all PCPs had heard about PrEP (90.9%), 30.6% ever prescribed PrEP to an adolescent. Intention to prescribe PrEP to sexually active adolescents was associated with seven out of the 10 Theoretical Domains Framework factors: knowledge, skills, professional role, belief capacity, belief consequence, environmental resource, social influence, and emotion. Our findings demonstrate that the Theoretical Domains Framework can be employed to understand the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental factors associated with PCPs' intention to prescribe sexually active adolescents PrEP. Implementation strategies are needed to implement interventions that improve provider knowledge, attitudes, and skills related to prescribing PrEP to eligible adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: COVID-19 vaccination is widely recommended as a prevention strategy; however, vaccine uptake is disproportionately lower among rural Americans compared to their urban counterparts. Development of public health activities to address the rural–urban vaccine gap requires an understanding of determinants of vaccine hesitation. The present study explores perceptions of and barriers to COVID-19 vaccination among rural Oklahomans. Methods: Between March and May 2021, 222 residents, unvaccinated for COVID-19, within rural Oklahoma counties completed a cross-sectional, online questionnaire to qualitatively assess perceptions, benefits, and concerns regarding getting vaccinated for COVID-19. Results: Approximately two-fifths of rural respondents in the present study were hesitant to get vaccinated, even when a vaccine was made available to them. Major factors included limited knowledge and understanding about the vaccine, including potential side-effects and long-term complications, as well as skepticism surrounding COVID-19 vaccine development and efficacy. Among the potential perceived benefits of vaccination were protecting the health of vulnerable individuals and the ability to return to normal day-to-day activities. Conclusion: Increases in COVID-19 cases and deaths in rural areas are expected to continue as new variants are introduced within communities. The present findings highlight the need for the development of culturally tailored vaccine information, to be disseminated by local leaders within rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the study was to identify profiles of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth who are at risk for suicidal behavior. Data were collected through the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (N = 2,738). We used latent profile analysis to create identity profiles using variables associated with suicide, including bullying, alcohol use, poor grades, electronics use, and sleep hours. The LPA revealed a 6-class solution. Class 6 represented the highest risk profile with the highest scores in alcohol, bullying, poor grades, electronics use, and the least sleep and were 17 times more likely to attempt suicide compared to class 2 (the lowest-risk class). Classes 1, 3, 4, and 5 had a mixture of both high and low risk mean scores across the variables, with class 3 showing the strongest relationship to suicide (7 times more likely than class 2). Because high-risk classes in our study had multiple factors contributing to associations to suicide, programming aimed at attenuating youth suicide among LGB youth may benefit from addressing multiple issues simultaneously (e.g., substance use and bullying). This would be a departure from more traditional programs for LGB youth which are predicated on one specific risk behavior, such as coping with bullying or substance use separately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: Background There is a lack of research that examines event-level lubricant use and outcomes among gay and bisexual men, with the majority of current research addressing lubricant use within the context of sexual risk. Most studies examining sexual health among gay and bisexual men have relied on convenience sampling strategies for participant recruitment.Methods: Data were collected from the 2012 wave of the National Survey of Sexual Health and Behaviour (NSSHB), which involved the administration of an online questionnaire to a nationally representative probability sample of women and men in the United States aged 18 years and older, including an oversampling of self-identified gay and bisexual men and women. The findings from gay (n=307) and bisexual (n=25) participants who reported sexual behaviours with other male partners during their last sexual encounter are included in this paper. Post-stratification data weights were applied to the data to maximise the generalisability of the findings.Results: Men who reported lubricant use during their last sexual event with a male partner (n=163) were significantly more likely to be non-White, Hispanic and between 30 and 39 years old. Bisexual men had lower odds of using lubricant than gay-identified men. The majority of men reported using lubricant during anal intercourse, along with lower numbers with a range of other sexual behaviours.Conclusion: Public health promotion specialists should consider recommending continued lubricant use as a part of comprehensive sexual health promotion efforts for gay and bisexual men, including that it reduces pain and maximises pleasure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Given the large number of individuals who are released from detention in correctional facilities every year, the process of reentry and its associated physical, mental, social, sexual, and other health challenges position recently incarcerated men as a priority population for public health research and practice. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the prevalence of a range of comprehensive health issues among a community-based sample of recently incarcerated men in metropolitan Indianapolis, Indiana. Methods: Under the auspices of an academic-community coalition, our study team engaged in a series of formative steps to determine the most relevant and feasible pilot study that would match the needs of the local community. Based on this guidance, we employed a variety of recruitment strategies to engage a sample of recently incarcerated men in a venue-based computerized survey. We collected a range of data in terms of their sexual health and behaviors as well as a wide range of comprehensive health concerns. Results: Complete baseline data were collected from a diverse sample of 18 adult men who had been released from incarceration during the past 30 days. As with other populations, recently incarcerated men reported a wide range of lifetime sexual experiences. Despite previous studies suggesting high rates of sexual risk behavior immediately following release from incarceration, reports of recent sexual risk behavior (i.e., within the past 30 days) in our sample were relatively low. The majority of participants had been screened for HIV/STI during the past year. Approximately half of the participants reported using drugs at least once over the past year. Although rates of use of most illicit substances were relatively low, a high proportion of men (67%) smoked cigarettes. Employment concerns following release from incarceration were clearly significant among the participants, including stigma and associated stress. Conclusions: Using a community-informed research process, we were able to elicit a wide range of health-related information from a diverse group of men currently in the process of reentry following incarceration. Rates of sexual risk behavior were lower than anticipated and rates of recent HIV/STI screening were relatively high. Additionally, drug use did not appear to be a major concern for most participants. However, employment-related issues were perhaps the most significant challenge for men during the process of reentry. Future health promotion strategies aimed at men during the reentry process would likely be enhanced by focusing on mechanisms for coping with stress and other difficulties related to the reality of stigma and discrimination faced by individuals who are released from incarceration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who have sex with men (MSM) who reside in predominantly mixed rural and rural areas remain at risk for HIV and STI acquisition; however, few studies have researched the sexual behavior of this population. Sexual health interventions geared toward MSM are often developed with urban and suburban populations, with a focus on community development and diffusion of health information. Such approaches may not account for the unique social context of residing in a mixed rural or rural area, with smaller numbers of open sexual minority individuals and lower HIV/STI prevalence rates. To address the sexual health needs of this diverse population, a community-academic partnership was developed to inform research. MSM (N = 282) residing within south central Indiana were recruited to complete an anonymous online questionnaire regarding sexual behavior, community identity, and community connectedness. Results demonstrate the need for innovative HIV/STI prevention programs geared to reach MSM residing in rural and mixed rural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines what measures health care and social service providers take to address intersections between various forms of violence and HIV/AIDS in the delivery of services to their clients/patients. We operated within an organizational/interactional uncertainty theoretical framework and analyzed qualitative interview data from 30 providers offering services related to violence or HIV/AIDS in the San Francisco Bay Area. We found that providers used several strategies to mitigate crossover risk, but they enacted these measures on a case-by-case basis and tended not to follow a dedicated and complete protocol with every client/patient. We also identify nine factors that affected providers’ capacity to discern and effectively address violence–HIV/AIDS intersections, present providers’ descriptions of their needs in terms of addressing crossover risk, and discuss implications for interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]