TY - JOUR
T1 - Implications for prep uptake in young adults experiencing homelessness
T2 - A mixed methods study
AU - Maria, Diane Santa
AU - Gallardo, Kathryn R.
AU - Narendorf, Sarah
AU - Petering, Robin
AU - Barman-Adhikari, Anamika
AU - Flash, Charlene
AU - Hsu, Hsun Ta
AU - Shelton, Jama
AU - Ferguson, Kristin
AU - Bender, Kimberly
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 The Guilford Press.
PY - 2019/2
Y1 - 2019/2
N2 - Youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) have a high risk of contracting HIV; however, they remain relatively unreached by pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)-based HIV prevention initiatives. We used a cross-sectional mixed-methods study to explore PrEP knowledge, interest, facilitators, and barriers among YEH. Young adults were recruited from agencies serving YEH in Houston, TX (n = 30) and Los Angeles, CA (n = 15) to participate in an electronic self-report survey and a semistructured interview. Survey results indicate that 68.2% of YEH had low or no prior knowledge of PrEP, though 63.7% reported interest in taking PrEP. Qualitative results revealed facilitators of PrEP use, including high PrEP acceptability and awareness, and supportive social networks. Several barriers emerged, including medication-related barriers, adherence, cost, access barriers, low perceived HIV risk, perceived stigma of PrEP use, and low PrEP awareness. Despite high PrEP acceptability, PrEP use among YEH remains low partly due to low PrEP awareness, low perceived HIV risk, and medical mistrust.
AB - Youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) have a high risk of contracting HIV; however, they remain relatively unreached by pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)-based HIV prevention initiatives. We used a cross-sectional mixed-methods study to explore PrEP knowledge, interest, facilitators, and barriers among YEH. Young adults were recruited from agencies serving YEH in Houston, TX (n = 30) and Los Angeles, CA (n = 15) to participate in an electronic self-report survey and a semistructured interview. Survey results indicate that 68.2% of YEH had low or no prior knowledge of PrEP, though 63.7% reported interest in taking PrEP. Qualitative results revealed facilitators of PrEP use, including high PrEP acceptability and awareness, and supportive social networks. Several barriers emerged, including medication-related barriers, adherence, cost, access barriers, low perceived HIV risk, perceived stigma of PrEP use, and low PrEP awareness. Despite high PrEP acceptability, PrEP use among YEH remains low partly due to low PrEP awareness, low perceived HIV risk, and medical mistrust.
KW - HIV prevention
KW - PrEP perceptions
KW - Pre-exposure prophylaxis(PrEP)
KW - Youth experiencing homelessness (YEH)
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U2 - 10.1521/aeap.2019.31.1.63
DO - 10.1521/aeap.2019.31.1.63
M3 - Article
C2 - 30742477
AN - SCOPUS:85061407112
SN - 0899-9546
VL - 31
SP - 63
EP - 81
JO - AIDS Education and Prevention
JF - AIDS Education and Prevention
IS - 1
ER -