Journal Article

PrEP awareness and use among reproductive age women in Miami, Florida

Luisi, Nicole, Jones, Deborah L., Nogueira, Nicholas Fonseca, Cherenack, Emily M., Salazar, Ana S., Alcaide, Maria L., Raccamarich, Patricia, Klatt, Nichole R.

2023

Overview

Miami, Florida is an epicenter of the HIV epidemic in the US, with 20% of new HIV infections occurring in women. Despite effectiveness of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in preventing HIV, only 10% of eligible women benefit from its use. This study evaluates PrEP awareness and use, and factors associated with PrEP awareness among sexually active women in Miami, Florida. Results reported in this study included cross-sectional data that were collected as part of a baseline visit from a parent study. Cis-gender, HIV-negative, 18-45-year-old, sexually active women were recruited as part of a study evaluating recurrent bacterial vaginosis and HIV risk. Participants completed questionnaires assessing socio-demographics, HIV risk factors, prior history of HIV testing and reproductive tract infections, PrEP awareness and use. Relationships between variables and PrEP awareness were analyzed and multivariable logistic regression identified variables strongly associated with PrEP awareness. Among the 295 women enrolled, median age was 31 (24-38) years, 49% Black, 39% White, and 34% Hispanic. Of 63% who knew about PrEP, only 5% were on PrEP. Women with income below poverty line (OR = 2.00[1.04,3.87];p = 0.04), more male sexual partners in past month (OR = 1.30[1.01,1.68];p = 0.04), lifetime HIV testing (OR = 6.42[2.83,14.52];p<0.01), and current bacterial vaginosis (OR = 2.28[1.18,4.40];p = 0.01) were more likely to be aware of PrEP. Lower odds of PrEP awareness were associated with being Black (OR = 0.38[0.15,0.96];p = 0.04), Hispanic (OR = 0.18[0.08,0.39];p<0.01), heterosexual (OR = 0.29[0.11,0.77];p<0.01), and reporting inconsistent condom use during vaginal sex (OR = 0.21[0.08,0.56];p<0.01). PrEP awareness is low among reproductive age women in a high-risk setting. Culturally tailored interventions are needed to increase PrEP awareness and uptake, especially among Black and Hispanic women with inconsistent condom use during vaginal sex with male partners.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome / Adolescent / Adult / Age / AIDS / Alcohol use / Analysis / Antiretroviral drugs / Bacterial vaginosis / Biology and Life Sciences / Black white relations / Care and treatment / Chlamydia / Condoms / Consciousness / Cross-Sectional Studies / Demographics / Demography / Disease prevention / Domestic violence / Drug use / Earthquakes / Educational attainment / Epidemics / Ethnicity / Female / Florida / Florida - epidemiology / Gender / Gender identity / Gonorrhea / Health aspects / Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Health risks / Heterosexuality / High risk / Hispanic American women / Hispanic Americans / HIV / HIV (Viruses) / HIV infection / HIV Infections - epidemiology / HIV Infections - prevention & control / HIV testing / Homosexuality, Male / Human immunodeficiency virus / Humans / Infection / Infections / Males / Medical diagnosis / Medical research / Medical tests / Medicine and Health Sciences / Medicine, Experimental / Metronidazole / Middle Aged / People and Places / Poverty / Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis / Pregnancy / Prevention / Prophylaxis / Recurrent / Reproductive health / Reproductive system / Risk / Risk assessment / Risk factors / Risk perception / Sex / Sexual behavior / Sexual orientation / Sexual Partners / Sexually transmitted diseases / Sociodemographics / STD / Tests / Tobacco / Uptake / Vagina / Vaginosis / Vaginosis, Bacterial / Variables / Women / Womens health / Young Adult