"It's Very Inconvenient for Me": A Mixed-Method Study Assessing Barriers and Facilitators of Adolescent Sexual Minority Males Attending PrEP Follow-Up Appointments. Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Researching PrEP retention in adolescent sexual minority men (ASMM) is critical to increasing persistence of PrEP in this priority population, yet this research is lacking. ASMM (N=1433) completed a baseline survey for an online HIV prevention program between 2018 and 2020. Open- and closed-ended survey items identified their beliefs about attending 3-month PrEP follow-up appointments and examined the association of Andersen's Behavioral Model factors (predisposing, enabling, and need) and confidence to attend these appointments. Qualitative and quantitative findings show that perceived parental support is a salient factor in ASMM attending PrEP follow-up appointments. Participants did not want to have to go to the doctor and get bloodwork done trimonthly, and qualitative findings elucidated rationales for this, such as perceptions that follow-ups might be time-consuming, costly, and could out their sexuality to their parents. This study suggests that parents are gatekeepers for ASMM to initiate and sustain the PrEP care continuum.

published proceedings

  • AIDS Behav

altmetric score

  • 19.35

author list (cited authors)

  • Owens, C., Moran, K., Mongrella, M., Moskowitz, D. A., Mustanski, B., & Macapagal, K.

citation count

  • 18

complete list of authors

  • Owens, Christopher||Moran, Kevin||Mongrella, Melissa||Moskowitz, David A||Mustanski, Brian||Macapagal, Kathryn

publication date

  • January 2022