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Correlates of Awareness of and Willingness to Use Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Who Use Geosocial-Networking Smartphone Applications in New York City

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Abstract

Geosocial-networking smartphone applications are commonly used by gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) to meet sexual partners. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate awareness of and willingness to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among MSM who use geosocial-networking smartphone applications residing in New York City. Recruitment utilizing broadcast advertisements on a popular smartphone application for MSM yielded a sample of 152 HIV-uninfected MSM. Multivariable models were used to assess demographic and behavioral correlates of awareness of and willingness to use PrEP. Most participants (85.5 %) had heard about PrEP but few (9.2 %) reported current use. Unwillingness to use PrEP was associated with concerns about side effects (PR = 0.303; 95 % CI 0.130, 0.708; p = 0.006). Given that more than half (57.6 %) of participants were willing to use PrEP, future research is needed to elucidate both individual and structural barriers to PrEP use among MSM.

Résumén

El uso de los aplicaciones de teléfonos inteligentes es común entre los homosexuales, bisexuales, y otros hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH) para cumplir con las parejas sexuales. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la conciencia y la voluntad de utilizar la profilaxis pre-exposición (PrEP) entre los HSH que usan aplicaciones para teléfonos inteligentes que residen en la ciudad de Nueva York. El reclutamiento se utilizan anuncios de difusión en una aplicación para teléfonos inteligentes popular para los HSH dio una muestra de 152 HSH sin VIH. Modelos multivariables se utilizaron para evaluar los correlatos demográficos y conductuales de la conciencia y la voluntad de utilizar PrEP. La mayoría de los participantes (85.5 %) eran conscientes de PrEP, pero u poco (9.2 %) reportado el uso actual. Renuencia a usar PrEP se asocio con preocupaciones sobre los efectos secundarios (PR = 0.303; 95 CI 0.130, 0.708; p = 0.006). Dado que más de la mitad (57.6 %) de los participantes estaban dispuesto a utilizar PrEP, se necesitan investigaciones futuras para dilucidar las barreras individuales y estructurales del uso de PrEP entre los HSH.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank two anonymous reviewers and Mr. Joseph Gambino for commenting on earlier versions of this manuscript. This work was funded by an individual research grant from the New York University College of Arts and Science Dean’s Undergraduate Research Fund (Principal Investigator: William C. Goedel). Dr. Dustin T. Duncan was supported by his New York University School of Medicine Start-Up Fund to work on this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Population Health, School of Medicine, New York University, 227 East 30th Street, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    William C. Goedel, Perry N. Halkitis & Dustin T. Duncan

  2. College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    William C. Goedel, Perry N. Halkitis & Dustin T. Duncan

  3. Department of Sociology, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    William C. Goedel

  4. Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Perry N. Halkitis & Dustin T. Duncan

  5. Population Center, College of Arts and Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Perry N. Halkitis & Dustin T. Duncan

  6. Center for Health, Identity, Behavior, and Prevention Studies, College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Perry N. Halkitis, Richard E. Greene & Dustin T. Duncan

  7. Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Richard E. Greene

  8. Center for Data Science, New York University, New York, NY, USA

    Dustin T. Duncan

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  1. William C. Goedel
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Correspondence to William C. Goedel.

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Goedel, W.C., Halkitis, P.N., Greene, R.E. et al. Correlates of Awareness of and Willingness to Use Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men Who Use Geosocial-Networking Smartphone Applications in New York City. AIDS Behav 20, 1435–1442 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-016-1353-6

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