Human immunodeficiency virus pre-exposure prophylaxis awareness among people who inject drugs in Portland, Oregon

Abstract

Background: Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among people who inject drugs (PWID) has demonstrated efficacy yet awareness of PrEP among PWID is low.

Methods: 2018 National Behavioral Health Survey data from the Portland, Oregon metropolitan statistical area was analyzed with chi-squared tests and generalized linear models to determine correlates of PrEP awareness among PWID.

Results: 80% of the sample had at least one indication for PrEP and 15% of the sample was aware of PrEP. Factors associated with higher PrEP awareness were: higher education level (PR = 1.083, CI = 1.018-1.153, p = .012), reporting transactional sex (PR = 1.154, CI = 1.019-1.307, p = .024), and men who have sex with men reporting condomless sex (PR = 1.376, CI = 1.081-1.752, p = .010). Lack of a usual source of care (PR = 0.884, CI = 0.824-0.949, p < .001) was negatively associated with PrEP awareness.

Conclusions: Interventions to increase PrEP awareness need to target groups with particularly low awareness and be delivered in settings accessible to PWID.

Keywords: HIV prevention; people who inject drugs; pre-exposure prophylaxis; preexposure prophylaxis awareness.