Acceptability of Injectable and On-Demand Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among an Online Sample of Young Men Who Have Sex with Men in California.

PURPOSE

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective strategy to prevent HIV. However, low uptake of daily oral PrEP since Food and Drug Administration approval and low medication adherence among users have stimulated the investigation of other modalities for delivery, such as injectable PrEP and on-demand PrEP. The objective of this study was to determine the demographic and behavioral predictors of willingness to try alternative PrEP delivery mechanisms among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) who stated that they were unwilling to try daily oral PrEP.

METHODS

YMSM in California were recruited through geosocial networking applications; we analyzed a subsample who stated that they were either ambivalent about trying or unwilling to try daily oral PrEP (n = 265). We used chi-square and Fisher's exact tests to determine characteristics associated with willingness to try injectable PrEP, willingness to try on-demand PrEP, and willingness to try either alternative form.

RESULTS

For individuals who stated that they would not be willing to try daily oral PrEP, ∼85% were willing to try on-demand and/or injectable PrEP. Individuals who reported some college or more reported greater willingness to try injectable PrEP (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.32-6.46), on-demand PrEP (aOR: 2.28; 95% CI: 1.06-4.90), or either method (aOR: 5.54; 95% CI: 1.78-17.22).

CONCLUSION

Future research should determine how to enhance uptake of emerging forms of PrEP among the individuals most at risk for HIV.