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Message Framing Strategies to Promote the Uptake of PrEP: Results from Formative Research with Diverse Adult Populations in the United States

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Abstract

There are no evidence-based recommendations for communicating about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) as part of a broader HIV-prevention messaging approach. To inform future message development related to PrEP uptake, we interviewed 235 individuals across ten locations in the U.S. to explore their understanding and perceptions of draft HIV prevention messages and assess their overall preferences for a broad or PrEP-focused messaging approach. Participants responded favorably to and related to both draft messages. Participants who were not aware of PrEP were more likely to say the broad HIV-prevention message was personally relevant than those aware of PrEP. There were no significant differences in perceived personal relevance for the PrEP-focused message. Qualitative findings suggest that HIV prevention messages should use specific well-defined terms, include links to additional information, and use choice-enhancing language that emphasizes personal agency and frames the call to action as an informed decision among an array of effective prevention options.

Resumen

No existen recommendaciones basadas en evidencia para comunicar sobre la profilaxis prexposición (PrEP) como parte de un efoque más amplio de mensajes de prevención del VIH. Para informar el desarrollo de mansajes relacionados con el consumo de la PrEP, entrevistamos a 235 personas en 10 ubicaciones en los EE.UU. para explorar su comprensión y percepciones de los borradores de mensajes de prevención del VIH y evaluar sus preferencias generales por un enfoque de mensajeria amplio o centrado en la PrEP. Los participantes respondieron favorablemente y relacionadoscon ambos barradores de mensajes. Los participantes que no conocían la PrEP tenían más probabilidades de decir que el mansaje general de prevención amplia de VIH era personalmente relevent que aquellos que conocían la PrEP. No existe differencias significativas en la relevancia personal percibida para el mensaje centrado en la PrEP. Los hallazgos cualitativos sugieren que los mensajes de prevención del VIH deben utilizar términos especificos bien definidos, incluir enlaces a información adicional y utilizar un lenguaje que mejore las opciones, que enfatice la agencia personal y enmarque el llamado a la acción como una decisión informada entre una variedad de opciones de prevención efectivas.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Irasema Garcia Rosales for translating the abstract into Spanish.

Funding

This study was supported by U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contract 200-2013-M-53964B.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. RTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Road, PO Box 12194, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA

    Vanessa Boudewyns, Jennifer D. Uhrig & Pamela A. Williams

  2. Division of HIV Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Stefanie K. E. Anderson & Jo Ellen Stryker

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  1. Vanessa Boudewyns
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Contributions

JES defined the scope of the formative study. JES, SKEA, and JDU refined the study population along with the research parameters. JDU and PAW developed the research questions, instruments, and designed the data collection approach. SKEA reviewed and provided feedback on the research questions, instruments, and data collection approach. JDU and PAW managed data collection and oversaw recruitment. VB and JDU wrote the first draft of this manuscript. VB and a team member coded the transcripts and VB conducted the statistics for the manuscript. JDU, JES, and SKEA reviewed the manuscript and provided edits. All authors provided feedback on drafts of the manuscript and approved of the final version.

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Correspondence to Vanessa Boudewyns.

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All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the Institutional Review Board at RTI International and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Boudewyns, V., Uhrig, J.D., Williams, P.A. et al. Message Framing Strategies to Promote the Uptake of PrEP: Results from Formative Research with Diverse Adult Populations in the United States. AIDS Behav 28, 535–546 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-023-04242-6

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