Sociodemographic and Behavioral Risk Correlates of PrEP Interest and Use Among Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness in Los Angeles

Young adults experiencing homelessness (YAEH) are at elevated risk for HIV compared to their stably housed peers. Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective at preventing HIV infection, yet YAEH have been largely overlooked in PrEP efforts to date despite YAEH reporting high overall interest...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:AIDS and behavior 2024-04, Vol.28 (4), p.1216-1226
Main Authors: Storholm, Erik D., Klein, David J., Pedersen, Eric R., D’Amico, Elizabeth J., Rodriguez, Anthony, Garvey, Rick, Tucker, Joan S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Antiretroviral drugs
Drinking behavior
Drop-in centers
Health Psychology
Health risks
Health services
HIV
Homeless people
Homelessness
Human immunodeficiency virus
Infectious Diseases
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Original Paper
Peers
Prophylaxis
Public Health
Risk
Risk taking
Sexual behavior
Sexual health
Sexually transmitted diseases
Social factors
Social norms
Sociodemographics
STD
Young adults
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Summary:Young adults experiencing homelessness (YAEH) are at elevated risk for HIV compared to their stably housed peers. Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is highly effective at preventing HIV infection, yet YAEH have been largely overlooked in PrEP efforts to date despite YAEH reporting high overall interest in PrEP. We assessed individual, social, and structural variables associated with PrEP interest and use among a sample of 195 YAEH (ages 18–25) recruited from drop-in centers across Los Angeles County who met criteria for HIV risk. In the current sample, though most had heard of PrEP (81.0%), the majority were not interested in taking PrEP (68.2%) and only a minority had used/were using PrEP (11.8%). YAEH who identified as sexual and/or gender minority, reported knowing someone who had used PrEP, or recently accessed sexual health services were more likely to have used and/or reported interest in using PrEP. Those who reported more episodes of heavy drinking were less likely to report having used PrEP. Suggestions are provided for better integrating PrEP-related services into existing behavioral and health service programs for YAEH, as well as leveraging peers and fostering positive social norms to reduce PrEP-related stigma and increase interest and use of PrEP among YAEH.
ISSN:1090-7165
1573-3254
DOI:10.1007/s10461-023-04144-7