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Considerable interest in pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake among men who have sex with men recruited from a popular geosocial-networking smartphone application in London |
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| Authors: | William C Goedel Kenneth H Mayer Matthew J Mimiaga Dustin T Duncan |
| Institution: | 1. Department of Population Health, School of Medicine, New?York University, New?York, NY, USA;2. College of Global Public Health, New?York University, New?York, NY, USA;3. Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Science, New?York University, New?York, NY, USAwilliam.goedel@nyu.edu;5. The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA, USA;6. Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA;7. Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA;8. Department of Behavioral &9. Social Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA;10. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA;11. Center for Health Equity Research, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA |
| Abstract: | Men who have sex with men (MSM) who use smartphone applications (apps) to meet sexual partners represent a high-risk subset of MSM. As such, the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may be highly suitable. The purpose of the study was to evaluate awareness of and willingness to use PrEP among 179 HIV-uninfected MSM recruited in London who use these apps. Regression models were fit to assess the associations between perceived barriers and willingness to use PrEP in the future. Most (84.9%) had heard of PrEP and more than half (57.1%) were willing to use PrEP in the future if it were to become available. Low perceived risk for acquiring HIV (prevalence ratio (PR): 0.11; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04, 0.33) and concerns about PrEP-related side effects (PR: 0.01; 95% CI: 0.00, 0.04) were associated with being unwilling to use PrEP. Efforts to make PrEP widely available should be continued. Uptake interventions should focus on correcting self-perceptions of HIV risk and educate MSM about the potential side effects of PrEP use so that MSM can make more informed decisions about prevention options. |
| Keywords: | Men who have sex with men geosocial-networking smartphone applications pre-exposure prophylaxis United Kingdom |