1. Exploring preferences and decision-making about long-acting injectable HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among young sexual minority men 17-24 years old.
- Author
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John SA, Zapata JP, Dang M, Pleuhs B, O'Neil A, Hirshfield S, Walsh JL, Petroll AE, and Quinn KG
- Subjects
- Male, Humans, Adolescent, Young Adult, Adult, Homosexuality, Male, Patient Acceptance of Health Care, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, Anti-HIV Agents therapeutic use, HIV Infections prevention & control, HIV Infections drug therapy, Sexual and Gender Minorities
- Abstract
Intramuscular cabotegravir for long-acting injectable HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (i.e., LAI-PrEP) was approved by the U.S. FDA in 2021. We sought to explore LAI-PrEP decision-making among a nationwide sample of young sexual minority men (YSMM) 17-24 years old. In 2020, HIV-negative/unknown YSMM (n = 41) who met CDC criteria for PrEP were recruited online to participate in synchronous online focus groups eliciting preferences and opinions about LAI-PrEP, as well as the impact of a potential self-administered option. Data were analyzed using inductive and deductive thematic analysis with constant comparison. Preferences and decision-making about LAI-PrEP varied widely among YSMM, with participants frequently comparing LAI-PrEP to oral PrEP regimens. We identified five key themes related to LAI-PrEP decision-making including concerns about adherence to PrEP dosing and clinic appointments, awareness and knowledge of PrEP safety and efficacy data, comfort with needles, minimizing PrEP stigma, and considerations of self-administration. YSMM acknowledged more PrEP options as beneficial to supporting uptake and persistence., (© 2023. The Author(s).)
- Published
- 2023
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