| Description |
- Background
Long acting injectable (LAI) preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has the potential to increase PrEP uptake and adherence. However, the majority of studies investigating opinions about LAI PrEP were theoretical, done prior to its approval. It is important to better understand peoples’ opinions about LAI PrEP as uptake increases.
Methods
We administered a cross-sectional electronic survey to clients at an urban PrEP clinic in the US South. Eligible participants were 18+ and had previously taken or been prescribed oral or LAI PrEP and were recruited at clinic appointments or through a link sent via the electronic medical record. Participants were asked about their preferences and concerns about oral and LAI PrEP and barriers to access PrEP.
Results
Between January-April 2024, 123 participants completed the survey. Of those, 22 were currently using LAI PrEP, 80 oral PrEP, and 21 were not currently on a form of PrEP. Participants were mostly men (87.8%), and mean age was 38.6 (range 19-78). Respondents were 54.5% White, 30.9% Black, and 14.6% Latinx. Most participants (56.0%) preferred injection versus daily pill. The most common concerns about PrEP for all groups were side effects, cost of medication, and cost of clinic visits and tests. Of people taking oral PrEP, 56.3% had not switched to injectable either because it was not offered to them, or they were not aware of it. On average participants had low to moderate PrEP stigma scores, but Perceived HIV Risk Scores were higher for people not currently taking PrEP.
Conclusions
Despite clear desire for LAI PrEP, patients are frequently not offered LAI or do not know it exists. Common concerns about PrEP include side effects and cost of medication and/or clinic visits. These data demonstrate the importance of improving LAI PrEP accessibility and offering people choice between PrEP methods.
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