Perceptions of PrEP Use Within Primary Relationships Among Young Black Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men. Arch Sex Behav 2020 Aug;49(6):2117-2128
Date
04/03/2020Pubmed ID
32240437Pubmed Central ID
PMC7321890DOI
10.1007/s10508-020-01683-1Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85084241631 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 23 CitationsAbstract
A significant proportion of new HIV infections among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) occur within primary relationships. Although PrEP use continues to increase, there is a need to better understand the factors that contribute to PrEP decision-making within primary relationships. We qualitatively examined how relationship context influences perceptions of PrEP and decisions to initiate and discontinue PrEP among young Black MSM to provide a nuanced understanding of PrEP use within relationships. Between late 2017 and mid-2018, we conducted 10 focus groups with young Black MSM (n = 80) in Milwaukee, WI, Minneapolis, MN, Kansas City, KS, and Detroit, MI. We used inductive thematic analysis to examine how young Black MSM make decisions about PrEP use within the context of primary relationships. We identified three primary themes: (1) perceptions of PrEP as an indication of distrust and infidelity, (2) perceptions of PrEP use as necessary, even in primary relationships, and (3) the influence of partners on PrEP. Our results demonstrate the considerable variation in how young Black MSM view PrEP within primary relationships and the influence of primary partners in PrEP use decisions. The dynamics between two or more individuals can shape an individual's conceptualizations of and decisions around PrEP use, and these may be key drivers of racial disparities in HIV and PrEP use.
Author List
Quinn KG, Zarwell M, John SA, Christenson E, Walsh JLAuthors
Steven A. John PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinKatherine Quinn PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Jennifer L. Walsh PhD Associate Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdolescentAdult
Bisexuality
HIV Infections
Homosexuality, Male
Humans
Male
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
Sexual Behavior
Young Adult
