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Seasons of Risk: Anticipated Behavior on Vacation and Interest in Episodic Antiretroviral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among a Large National Sample of U.S. Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM)

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Abstract

The current analysis evaluates interest in and acceptability of daily PrEP during short episodes of anticipated increased risk (i.e. Epi-PrEP). In 2013, U.S. members of an internet-based MSM sexual networking site were invited to complete a survey about HIV prevention practices in the context of vacationing. 7305 MSM responded to the survey. Of respondents who had vacationed in the past year, 25.6 % reported condomless anal sex (CAS) with new male sex partners while vacationing. Most (92.6 %) respondents agreed that having to use PrEP every day was a barrier to PrEP use and 74.3 % indicated they would take PrEP if they knew it would be helpful for short periods of anticipated increased risk. MSM who reported increased CAS while on vacation in the past year were more likely to indicate that they would take PrEP if it were helpful when used for short periods than respondents who did not (aOR = 2.02, 95 % CI 1.59–2.56, p < 0.001). Studies designed to evaluate uptake, adherence, and protective benefit of short PrEP courses are warranted.

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Funding

This work was funded by an unrestricted research grant from Gilead Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, 8th floor, 1340 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Steven A. Elsesser, Catherine E. Oldenburg, Katie B. Biello, Matthew J. Mimiaga, Steven A. Safren, Douglas S. Krakower & Kenneth H. Mayer

  2. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Catherine E. Oldenburg, Katie B. Biello & Matthew J. Mimiaga

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA

    Matthew J. Mimiaga & Steven A. Safren

  4. Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Steven A. Safren & Kenneth H. Mayer

  5. Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    James E. Egan

  6. OLB Research Institute, Online Buddies, Inc., Cambridge, USA

    David S. Novak

  7. Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Douglas S. Krakower

  8. Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Ron Stall

  9. Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA

    Kenneth H. Mayer

Authors
  1. Steven A. Elsesser
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  2. Catherine E. Oldenburg
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  10. Kenneth H. Mayer
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Correspondence to Kenneth H. Mayer.

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Elsesser, S.A., Oldenburg, C.E., Biello, K.B. et al. Seasons of Risk: Anticipated Behavior on Vacation and Interest in Episodic Antiretroviral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Among a Large National Sample of U.S. Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM). AIDS Behav 20, 1400–1407 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1238-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1238-0

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