The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA, USA.
Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, RI, USA.
AIDS Behav. 2024 Sep;28(9):2970-2978. doi: 10.1007/s10461-024-04384-1. Epub 2024 Aug 10.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective in preventing HIV transmission, but uptake and adherence among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) remains suboptimal. New PrEP formulations may enhance PrEP use, but little is known about their acceptability. We enrolled 39 cis- and transgender YMSM (age 18-34) from Boston, MA; Jackson, MS; Birmingham, AL; and New Orleans, LA, who participated in video-based focus groups (n = 30) or in-depth interviews (n = 9) to examine how new PrEP products (e.g., injections, monthly pills, implants) are perceived and might be improved for YMSM. Focus groups were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using grounded theory and content analysis. Nearly half (46%) of participants were Black; 11% identified as Hispanic. Seventy-nine percent were PrEP experienced. Product preference was driven by the desire for flexible, safe, effective, and affordable PrEP options. A majority of participants preferred subcutaneous injections every 6 months or monthly pills dispersed in 3 or 4 doses. Subcutaneous injections and batched monthly pills were favored by those with demanding schedules and those who desired fewer provider visits; monthly pills were more appealing for those who feared needles. Despite broad preferences for longer-acting products for convenience, participants raised concerns regarding side effects and waning protection after missed doses. Participants felt that more education about safety and efficacy profiles of new products could influence their attitudes. These findings suggest that it is important to prioritize YMSM's dynamic lifestyles during product development, and that product safety and efficacy information should be accessible in youth-friendly language.
暴露前预防（PrEP）在预防 HIV 传播方面非常有效，但在男男性行为者（MSM）中的使用率和坚持率仍不理想。新的 PrEP 制剂可能会增加 PrEP 的使用，但人们对其可接受性知之甚少。我们招募了来自马萨诸塞州波士顿、密西西比州杰克逊、阿拉巴马州伯明翰和路易斯安那州新奥尔良的 39 名顺性别和跨性别 MSM（年龄在 18-34 岁之间），他们参加了基于视频的焦点小组（n=30）或深入访谈（n=9），以研究新的 PrEP 产品（例如，注射剂、每月药丸、植入物）是如何被感知的，以及如何为 MSM 改进这些产品。焦点小组的转录本使用扎根理论和内容分析进行编码和分析。近一半（46%）的参与者是黑人；11%的人是西班牙裔。79%的人有 PrEP 使用经验。产品偏好受灵活、安全、有效和负担得起的 PrEP 选择的驱动。大多数参与者更喜欢每 6 个月皮下注射一次或每月分散成 3 或 4 剂的药丸。对于日程安排紧张和希望减少就诊次数的人来说，皮下注射和批量每月药丸更受欢迎；对于害怕针头的人来说，每月药丸更有吸引力。尽管参与者普遍倾向于使用更长效的产品以方便，但他们对副作用和错过剂量后保护效果减弱表示担忧。参与者认为，更多关于新产品安全性和效果的教育可能会影响他们的态度。这些发现表明，在产品开发过程中优先考虑 MSM 的动态生活方式非常重要，并且应该以青年友好的语言提供有关新产品安全性和效果的信息。
