The Impact of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis on Sexual Communication and Sexual Behavior of Urban Gay and Bisexual Men.

The Impact of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis on Sexual Communication and Sexual Behavior of Urban Gay and Bisexual Men. Arch Sex Behav. 2019 Oct 18;: Authors: Pantalone DW, Holloway IW, Goldblatt AEA, Gorman KR, Herbitter C, Grov C Abstract Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has altered the public health landscape for gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) by significantly increasing protection against HIV infection. Early epidemiologic data showed GBM generally used PrEP as prescribed, i.e., as an additional protective tool over and above barrier protection, although subsequent reports have been equivocal. Irrespective of population-level trends, some GBM appear to have reevaluated their HIV risk tolerance and changed their interactions with sex partners. Scant published data have focused on factors that influence PrEP-using GBM's decisions about sexual behavior-including condom use as well as sex with HIV-positive partners-and sexual communication practices. Thus, in this study, we investigated those research concerns qualitatively via content analysis of individual interviews conducted with 103 GBM in New York City (M age 32.5 years, 50% White, 64% on PrEP > 6 months). Emergent themes reflect (1) participants' strong HIV knowledge; (2) changing GBM community norms about condom use on PrEP; (3) increased focus on risk tolerance with individual differences in post-PrEP condom use; (4) appreciation for routine sexual...
Source: Archives of Sexual Behavior - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Arch Sex Behav Source Type: research