2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

336704
Usage and Perceptions of PrEP Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) in New Orleans, 2014


Tuesday, November 3, 2015 : 1:10 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Meagan Zarwell, MA, School of Public Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA
Nicholas Payne, MPH, School of Public Health, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA
William T. Robinson, PhD, Evaluation Unit, Department of Health and Hospitals Louisiana Office of Public Health STD/HIV Program, New Orleans, LA
Audio (mp3) recording Recorded Presentation (mp4)
Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is considered a promising new approach to reduce HIV transmission. This study examines knowledge, use and perceptions of PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM) and their social and sexual networks.

Methods: Using venue-based time-space sampling, 564 MSM were recruited in New Orleans as part of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system (NHBS). Survey questions gauged whether participants knew about, ever or currently took PrEP, as well as reasons why some MSM would not take PrEP.

Results:  Only seven (2%) MSM were currently taking PrEP at the time of the survey. Among the 259 (57%) HIV negative MSM who met the clinical guidelines for the medication, only 53% had ever heard of PrEP. MSM who met the clinical guidelines for PrEP were more likely to report willingness to take the medication daily (OR=2.12). The most commonly cited reasons participants gave for not taking the medication included not feeling at risk, lack of awareness of PrEP, and access to treatment. When asked why other MSM in the community may not seek the medication, the most frequently stated reasons were lack of awareness, cost, and not feeling at risk. Furthermore, few participants knew anyone in their social or sexual network who took PrEP.

Conclusions: These results highlight lack of awareness of PrEP and barriers for uptake among MSM. Strategies to increase PrEP awareness and access, potentially addressing issues related to perceptions of risk and implications of PrEP eligibility guidelines, are called for.

Learning Areas:

Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related education
Public health or related laws, regulations, standards, or guidelines
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe knowledge, use and perceptions of PrEP among men who have sex with men (MSM) and their social and sexual networks. Differentiate between perceptions of PrEP use among MSM who meet the clinical guidelines to those who do not.

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am a doctoral candidate at LSUHSC in Public Health and the field supervisor for the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance in New Orleans. My scientific interests include HIV prevention strategies among men who have sex with men and people who inject drugs.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4235.0: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and HIV II