Abstract
Treatment as prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have reduced HIV transmission among sexual minority men (SMM). However, little is known about PrEP-related communication in serodiscordant partnerships. In 2015–2016, 965 US SMM living with HIV (Mage = 39; 63% White, 19% Black, 18% Latinx) enrolled in a year-long longitudinal study with surveys every 3 months (2,850 surveys). Multilevel models explored factors associated with PrEP-related communication with HIV-negative partners. Most participants (77%) reported PrEP-related communication. Participants were more likely to discuss PrEP during periods with more sexual partners, AOR = 2.89, p < .001, and group sex, AOR = 1.99, p = .001. Those with more partners on average, β = 0.48, p < .001, and those engaging in other drug use more frequently, β = 0.11, p = .002, were more likely to discuss PrEP. PrEP-related communication was more common for men who disclosed their HIV status, β = 0.22, p < .001, and who had undetectable viral loads, β = 0.25, p = .007. Communication was also more common for those with higher incomes, β = 0.12, p = .02, and from larger cities, β = 0.07, p = .048, and less common for Black participants, β = − 0.29, p = .003, and older participants, β = − 0.18, p < .001. PrEP-related communication increased over the course of the study, AOR = 1.16, p= .02. PrEP can confer additional HIV prevention benefits within serodiscordant partnerships, and future research should continue to explore the role PrEP plays in these partnerships.
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Funding support was provided by the National Institute of Mental Health (R01 MH100973, PI: Hirshfield; K01MH118939, PI: John). The content of this manuscript is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
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Walsh, J.L., John, S.A., Robles, G. et al. Talking to My Partners About PrEP: Factors Associated with PrEP-Related Communication in a Longitudinal US Study of Sexual Minority Men Living with HIV. Prev Sci 23, 1438–1447 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-022-01372-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-022-01372-6