503 - Perception of HIV Pre-Exposure prophylaxis among adolescents in the Bronx

Poster Number: 503
Publication Number: 503.100

Andrea Cortes, St Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, NY, United States; Nadia Scott, Saint Barnabas Hospital, Long Island City, NY, United States; Kristine Joy Armada, State University of New York Downstate Medical Center College of Medicine, Brooklyn, NY, United States; Janine Adjo, SBH Health System, Bronx, NY, United States; David Rubin, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New Rochelle, NY, United States

Background: CDC reports that youth 13 to 24 years of age accounted for 21% of all new HIV diagnoses in the US. Emtricitabine/tenofovir for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) provides a 92-99% reduction in HIV risk for HIV-negative individuals and is an important tool in the prevention of HIV. Due to the increased incidence of HIV in this population, perceptions about this effective method of HIV prevention are important.

Objective: Explore PreP perception among adolescents in a community health center.

Design/Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled a convenience sample of adolescents (13 to 21 years old). Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire regarding demographics, sexual orientation, sexual behaviors, familiarity with PreP, and attitudes. This questionnaire included a short definition, a statement, and multiple choice answers based on participants’ perceptions of PREP.

Results: 103 adolescents participated in the study with a mean age of 16.62.07 years, 72.8% identified themselves as Hispanic. 61.2% as female, 35% as male, and 3.9% as non-binary. 44.7% reported having sexual intercourse in their life. 83.4% identified as heterosexual, 18.5% as bisexual, and 4% as homosexual.
34.8% denied being tested for HIV and 47.8% for other STIs, during the past 12 months. The mean age of first sexual intercourse was 15 1.6 years, and the average number of sex partners was 2.5.
82.5% reported being not at all familiar with PREP. 61.2% reported not having learned about PreP to prevent HIV, 9.8% learned about it from a healthcare provider, 7.8% on the internet, and 4.9% on school. Only 2.9% reported being prescribed PreP, and 2.9% reported having friends that use it.
On the statement that ¨PrEP should be widely available¨ 45.6% reported not knowing enough about it, and 38% agreed with it.
On the statement, ¨If PrEP was available, how likely would you be to use it to prevent HIV infection¨, 60.2% reported not knowing enough about it, 35% agreed with it.
No significant association was found between sexual behaviors and PrEP perceptions.Conclusion(s): This study explores PrEP perceptions among adolescents in NYC. Most teenagers reported not being familiar with PrEP, but they agreed that it should be widely available. More than a third of the sexually active adolescents denied being tested for HIV in the past year, indicating that a need for increased sexual education including HIV prevention from reliable sources such as health care providers.
CVCV_07-06-2021-214347_20fe620d-6621-4ba2-929d-8126246d8f3a.pdf