title: Post-exposure prophylaxis awareness and use among men who have sex with men in London who use geosocial-networking smartphone applications.
abstract: The number of new HIV infections continues to be on the rise in many high-income countries, most notably among men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite recent attention to the use of antiretroviral medications as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among MSM, considerably less research has been devoted to examining the awareness and use of post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Based on a convenience sample of 179 self-reported HIV-uninfected MSM using a geosocial-networking smartphone application, this study is among the first to examine the awareness and use of PEP and their demographic and behavioral correlates among MSM in London. Most respondents (88.3%) had heard of PEP, where 27.4% reported having used it. In multivariable models, the disclosure of one's sexual orientation to their general practitioner (Prevalence ratio [PR]: 3.49; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14, 10.70; p = .029) and reporting one's HIV status as negative (rather than unknown) (PR: 11.49; 95% CI: 1.68, 76.92; p = .013) were associated with having heard of PEP; while the recent use of club drugs (PR: 3.02; 95% CI: 1.42, 6.43; p = .004) was associated with having ever used PEP. High awareness and use in this sample suggest that PEP is a valuable risk-reduction strategy that should be capitalized on, be it in addition to or in the absence of PrEP.
authors.affiliation: a Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, School of Medicine , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|b College of Global Public Health , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|c Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Science , New York University , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Goedel
authors.affiliation: a Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, School of Medicine , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|b College of Global Public Health , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|d Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies , New York University , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hagen
authors.affiliation: b College of Global Public Health , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|d Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|e Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, Rory Meyers College of Nursing , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|f Population Center, College of Arts and Science , New York University , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Perry N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Halkitis
authors.affiliation: d Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|g Department of Medicine, School of Medicine , New York University , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Richard E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.affiliation: b College of Global Public Health , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|d Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies , New York University , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Marybec
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Griffin-Tomas
authors.affiliation: a Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, School of Medicine , New York University , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Forrest A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.affiliation: i Department of Medicine, School of Medicine , University of Mississippi Medical Center , Jackson , MS , USA.|j Center for Research, Evaluation, and Environmental Policy Change , My Brother's Keeper, Inc. , Jackson , MS , USA.
authors.forename: DeMarc
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hickson
authors.affiliation: a Spatial Epidemiology Lab, Department of Population Health, School of Medicine , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|b College of Global Public Health , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|d Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|e Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, Rory Meyers College of Nursing , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|f Population Center, College of Arts and Science , New York University , New York , NY , USA.|h Center for Data Science , New York University , New York , NY , USA.
authors.forename: Dustin T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Duncan
mesh_terms: D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D063731:Mobile Applications; D056990:Post-Exposure Prophylaxis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000068997:Smartphone; D060756:Social Networking; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs
keywords: Men who have sex with men (MSM); United Kingdom; post-exposure prophylaxis; smartphone application