PrEP awareness and decision-making for Latino MSM in San Antonio, Texas

Abstract

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) has been promoted among high-risk populations as an effective HIV biomedical intervention. However, limited research is available on the significance of culturally informed biomedical interventions for Latino MSM. A total of 159 self-administered Internet surveys were completed by Latino MSM ages 21–30 in San Antonio, Texas. The purpose of this research was to develop an instrument that measured Latino MSM attitudes and beliefs towards PrEP, identify associations between demographic factors and PrEP related factors and to suggest culturally appropriate strategies for the promotion of PrEP among the Latino MSM population. Research findings revealed implications for PrEP at the structural and individual level for Latino MSM. Structural level indicators emphasized the importance for raising PrEP awareness among Latino MSM in regards to PrEP related expenses, ameliorating stigmatization of high-risk populations, enhancing access to PrEP informed medical providers, and address mistrust of the government and medical providers role on addressing health disparities among Latino MSM. Overall, the findings for individual factors emphasize the need for patient-centered interventions for Latino MSM. Latino MSM currently on PrEP require supplemental resources to enhance PrEP adherence. Latino MSM not on PrEP require alternate options for PrEP delivery and/or cognitive behavioral approaches minimizing HIV risk behavior for Latino MSM concerned with PrEP toxicity, which may require non-biomedical interventions. Integration of Latino MSM currently on PrEP as peer educators provides a valuable resource for developing culturally informed PrEP interventions for Latino MSM. Peer educators are able to share their experiential knowledge of PrEP contextualized through cultural norms, beliefs, and values.

“Little Tablets of Gold”: An Examination of the Psychological and Social Dimensions of PrEP Among LGBTQ Communities

“…Our findings about stigma are consistent with previous research identifying stigma as an important factor influencing PrEP use (Arnold et al, 2017;Collins, McMahan, & Stekler, 2017;Franks et al, 2018;García & Harris, 2017;Grace et al, 2018;Haire, 2015;Liu et al, 2014;Taylor et al, 2014;Thomann et al, 2018;. In our and other studies, PrEP stigma is closely tied to stigma around HIV, "risky" sexual behavior, and sexual and gender identity (Franks et al, 2018;Grace et al, 2018;Haire, 2015).…”

“…Although previous studies have examined attitudes about PrEP uptake (Bauermeister, Meanley, Pingel, Soler, & Harper, 2013;Brooks et al, 2011;Dolezal et al, 2015;Galindo et al, 2012;García & Harris, 2017;Goedel, Halkitis, Greene, Hickson, & Duncan, 2016;Grov, Whitfield, Rendina, Ventuneac, & Parsons, 2015;Holt et al, 2012;Peng et al, 2018;Thomann, Grosso, Zapata, & Chiasson, 2018;Young, Flowers, & McDaid, 2014), and impact of PrEP on sexual risk behaviors (Freeborn & Portillo, 2018;Grov et al, 2015;Holt et al, 2012;Koester et al, 2017;Storholm, Volk, Marcus, Silverberg, & Satre, 2017), there is little understanding of the sociocultural dimensions of actual PrEP use. Most previous U.S. studies about the emotional or psychological effects of PrEP have asked participants to consider hypothetical situations or have enrolled participants of clinical trials and demonstrations projects (Gilmore et al, 2013;Grace, Jollimore, MacPherson, Strang, & Tan, 2018;Koester et al, 2017).…”

Long‐term retention in pre‐exposure prophylaxis care among men who have sex with men and transgender women in the United States

“…Notably, younger age was a significant predictor of not being retained in PrEP care at the initial visit, particularly in Mississippi, which had the greatest age discrepancy. This is an unsurprising finding, given that younger age has also been associated with significantly lower PrEP awareness , interest , uptake and adherence . Similarly, among individuals living with HIV, younger age is also significantly associated with lower retention in care .…”

Cost and anonymity as factors for the effective implementation of pre-exposure prophylaxis: an observational study among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Singapore

“…The association between educational attainment and knowledge of PrEP is consistent with the extant literature that establishes a positive association between education and PrEP knowledge, as well as general sexual health-seeking among GBMSM. [19][20][21][22] Uptake and willingness to use PrEP: issues of cost…”