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Intimate Partner Violence, HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Acceptability, and Attitudes About Use: Perspectives of Women Seeking Care at a Family Planning Clinic

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Abstract

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) presents an opportunity to expand prevention options for women at risk for HIV infection. Yet, women’s PrEP use remains low and relatively little is known about PrEP acceptability and attitudes among a sub-population of women at risk for HIV—those experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV). A cross-sectional survey included closed and open-ended questions to assess IPV, PrEP acceptability, and attitudes about PrEP use among women seeking care at an urban family planning clinic in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (N = 145). Approximately 70% of women reported being willing to use PrEP with the key reasons for potential use including previous STI diagnosis, inconsistent condom use, and lack of or dishonest conversations with partners. Among women reporting recent IPV (41%), potential barriers to PrEP included concerns around drug effects, access/affordability, and adherence. Over half of women reporting recent IPV reported concerns around partner reaction impacting potential PrEP use. Results from this mixed-methods study highlight the need for a woman-centered PrEP intervention that uniquely includes awareness raising and understanding of PrEP for women, as well as reflects the context of IPV in decision-making and care.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania for their support in conducting this research and the women who agreed to share their thoughts and experience, only because of their willingness to share their time and personal experiences was this research possible.

Funding

Funding was provided by HIV Prevention and Care Project, University of Pittsburgh.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, 3520 Fifth Avenue, Suite 400, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA

    Teagen L. O’Malley & Sarah E. Krier

  2. Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    James E. Egan, Mary E. Hawk & Jessica G. Burke

Authors
  1. Teagen L. O’Malley
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  2. James E. Egan
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  3. Mary E. Hawk
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Teagen L. O’Malley.

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Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the University of Pittsburgh Institutional Review Board.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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O’Malley, T.L., Egan, J.E., Hawk, M.E. et al. Intimate Partner Violence, HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Acceptability, and Attitudes About Use: Perspectives of Women Seeking Care at a Family Planning Clinic. AIDS Behav 25, 427–437 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-020-03003-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-020-03003-z

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