1. Doxycycline as Postsexual Exposure Prophylaxis: Use, Acceptability, and Associated Sexual Health Behaviors Among a Multi-Site Sample of Clinical Trial Participants.
- Author
-
Fredericksen, Rob J., Perkins, Rodney, Brown, Clare E., Cannon, Chase, Lopez, Carolina, Cohee, Alison, Dombrowski, Julia Cook, Cohen, Stephanie, Malinski, Cheryl, Powell, Minh, Luetkemeyer, Anne F., Celum, Connie, and Christopoulos, Katerina
- Subjects
- *
PREVENTION of sexually transmitted diseases , *HIV prevention , *SEXUAL partners , *HEALTH attitudes , *MENTAL health , *CONTROL (Psychology) , *RESEARCH funding , *INTERVIEWING , *HISPANIC Americans , *HIV-positive persons , *CLINICAL trials , *DOXYCYCLINE , *TREATMENT effectiveness , *WHITE people , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics , *PRE-exposure prophylaxis , *MEN who have sex with men , *THEMATIC analysis , *BLACK people , *HEALTH behavior , *RESEARCH methodology , *QUALITY of life , *TRANS women , *INFECTIOUS disease transmission , *COMPARATIVE studies , *HEALTH education , *SEXUAL health , *PATIENTS' attitudes ,ANXIETY prevention - Abstract
Doxycycline postexposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP) reduces sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). In a clinical trial of doxy-PEP, we sought to assess acceptability, impact, and meaning of doxy-PEP use among MSM/TGW. We conducted semistructured, in-depth 1:1 interviews with MSM and TGW enrolled in the intervention arm of the Doxy-PEP study. We queried motivations for and meaning of use, attitudes, beliefs, adherence, effect on sexual behaviors, and partner, community, and structural factors related to use. We coded interview transcripts into content areas, followed by thematic analysis. We interviewed 44 participants (median age 38), 2% were TGW, 17% Black, 61% White, 30% Hispanic, and 45% persons with HIV. We identified three overarching themes. First, participants found doxy-PEP acceptable, and believed it was effective based on their history of STIs, easy to adhere to, and acceptable to sex partners. Second, doxy-PEP benefited their quality of life and mental health, offering "peace of mind" by reducing their anxiety about acquisition or unwitting transmission of STIs. Participants reported feeling more "in control" of preventing STIs, and positive about supporting their personal, partner, and community health. Third, impact on sexual behavior was variable, with most reporting no change or a brief initial change. Participants in a multi-site clinical trial of doxycycline for STI prevention perceived it to be efficacious, and that it provided quality-of-life benefits, including reduced anxiety and sense of control over sexual health. Doxy-PEP had limited impact on sexual behavior. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03980223. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF