WIP 52 - Barriers and Facilitators of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV in Sexual and Gender Minorities: a Patient, Caregiver, and Provider Perspective.
General Academic Pediatrics Fellow UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Background: According to the CDC, in 2019, 1 in 5 cases of newly diagnosed HIV cases happened in adolescents ages 13-24. Within this group, sexual and gender minority (SGM, i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning) youth are disproportionally affected, with 83% of new HIV diagnoses occurring among young men who have sex with men and 2.6% of transgender youth. These high rates of newly acquired HIV disproportionately affecting SGM youth are occurring despite pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) being available since 2018. SGM youth uptake of PrEP remains low at 20% compared to 30% in at-risk adults. Objective: (1) Examine barriers, and facilitators of PrEP uptake for HIV prevention among 20 community-dwelling SGM youth, 15 caregivers, and 5 pediatric providers. (2) Inquire about the acceptability of diverse digital technology-based intervention delivery modalities to facilitate access to PrEP for HIV prevention that are SGM youth-specific, at the three levels of adolescent care (patient, caregiver, and provider). Design/Methods: We obtained IRB approval from the University of Pittsburgh. We are currently recruiting using an online community outreach and local networks, ensuring diversity in the study population. We aim for three cohorts composed of 20 self-identified SGM youths ages 14-18 years old (10 sexual and 10 gender minorities), 15 caregivers of SGM youth, and 5 providers who care clinically for SGM youth. Thematic saturation is anticipated with this sample size. Participants will complete individual semi-structured interviews in English or Spanish, with an emphasis on themes driven by participants' perspectives. Data analysis will employ reflexive thematic analysis. We expect to complete interviews by December 2023, with thematic analysis completion expected by March 2024. The findings will be disseminated through presentations and peer-reviewed journals.
