Abstract
IntroductionRandomized clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of antiretroviral pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV acquisition among men who have sex with men (MSM). However, limited research has examined initiation and adherence to PrEP among Black MSM (BMSM) in the United States (US) who are disproportionately represented among newly HIV infected and late to care individuals. This research reports on the HIV Prevention Trials Network 073 (HPTN 073) study aimed to examine PrEP initiation, utilization and adherence among Black MSM utilizing the theoretically principled, culturally informed and client‐centered care coordination (C4) model.MethodsThe HPTN 073 study enrolled and followed 226 HIV‐uninfected Black MSM in three US cities (Los Angeles, CA; Washington DC; and Chapel Hill, NC) from February 2013 through September 2015. Study participants were offered once daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir (FTC/TDF) PrEP combined with C4 and followed up for 52 weeks. Participants received HIV testing, risk reduction education and clinical monitoring.ResultsOf the 226 men enrolled, 178 participants initiated PrEP (79%), and of these 64% demonstrated PrEP utilization at week 26 (mid‐point of the study) based on pharmacokinetic testing. Condomless anal sex with an HIV‐infected or unknown status casual male partner was statistically significantly associated with a greater likelihood of PrEP initiation (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.4, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.7, 11.7). Greater age (≥25 vs. <25, OR 2.95, 95% CI 1.37 –6.37), perception of having enough money (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.7 to 7.7) and knowledge of male partner taking PrEP before sex (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.03 to 4.79) were statistically significantly associated with increased likelihood of PrEP adherence at week 26. Annualized HIV incidence was 2.9 (95% CI 1.2 to 7.9) among those who initiated PrEP, compared to 7.7 (95% CI 2.5 to 24.1) among those who did not initiate PrEP (p = 0.18).ConclusionsResults suggest a high level of PrEP initiation among at‐risk Black MSM, a group historically characterized as hard to reach. The data support the importance of addressing contextual factors that affect PrEP initiation and adherence, and of additional research on the ultimate benefit of PrEP in HIV prevention among Black MSM.
Highlights
Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV acquisition among men who have sex with men (MSM)
We report results from an open-label antiretroviral PrEP demonstration project, HIV Prevention Trials Network 073 (HPTN 073) that examined the uptake/initiation and adherence with daily oral co-formulated emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (FTC/TDF) among Black MSM in three United States (US) cities
Participant’s employment status (parttime/self-employed odds ratio (OR) 2.30, 95% CI 1.02 to 5.20, and full-time OR 2.47, 95% CI 1.10 to 5.59 vs. being unemployed), perception of having enough money, use of drugs other than alcohol and marijuana, having any casual male partners, condomless anal sex with HIV-infected or unknown status casual male partner, knowledge that an HIV-non-infected partner was taking PrEP before having sex and knowledge that PrEP could be used to prevent HIV infection were significantly associated with PrEP initiation
Summary
Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV acquisition among men who have sex with men (MSM). A constellation of factors contribute to increased HIV infections among Black MSM, including higher levels of unrecognized HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI), and delayed initiation of antiretroviral therapy [3,5,8,9,10,11,12]. Structural factors, such as lower income, un-/under-employment, educational inequalities, inadequate access to healthcare and treatment, incarceration, stigma and discrimination influence the incidence and prevalence of HIV among Black MSM [13,14,15,16,17,18,19]. This lack of representation may influence the design and interpretation of studies [20]
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