title: Willingness to use HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among community-recruited, older people who inject drugs in Washington, DC.
abstract: Use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among people who inject drugs (PWID) has been shown to be effective in preventing HIV transmission. We examined correlates of the willingness to use PrEP among community-recruited older PWID in Washington, DC.
  
  
  
  PWID were recruited using respondent-driven sampling (RDS) and completed a behavioral interview for the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system in 2012. Participants reported on willingness to use PrEP and how it might affect their drug use and sexual behaviors. We reported RDS-weighted proportions and multivariable correlates of being willing to use PrEP.
  
  
  
  Among 304 participants, 69% were male, and the majority was aged ≥50 and black. Only 13.4% had ever heard of using anti-HIV medication to prevent HIV; none had ever used PrEP or knew anyone who used it in the past year. Forty-seven percent were very likely and 24% were somewhat likely to take PrEP if it were available without cost; 13% agreed they would not need to sterilize/clean needles or use condoms if taking PrEP. Correlates of being very likely to use PrEP included being younger (<50years), sharing cookers, cotton or water in the past year, and believing they would no longer need to use clean needles.
  
  
  
  Nearly half of PWID reported being very willing to use PrEP if it were available without cost. Younger PWID and those at higher risk of sharing cookers, cotton or water were more willing to use PrEP, suggesting a focus on these groups to explore PrEP use among PWID.
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, United States. Electronic address: ikuo@gwu.edu.
authors.forename: Irene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Halli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Rudy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Patrick
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United States.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Manya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magnus
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, TB Administration, District of Columbia Department of Health, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Jenevieve
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Opoku
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rawls
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.affiliation: Family and Medical Counseling Service, Inc., Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, TB Administration, District of Columbia Department of Health, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kharfen
authors.affiliation: The George Washington University, Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, United States.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004219:District of Columbia; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology*; D065129:Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000821:virology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents
keywords: Behavioral surveillance; Injection drug use; People who inject drugs; Pre-exposure prophylaxis