PrEP using experiences among GBMSM who initiated PrEP
Eleven (84.6%) out of 13 participants who initiated PrEP indicated they were using event-driven PrEP and two (15.4%) were using daily dosing strategy. Participants in the mini-app group (n = 8) had a shorter length of time between study enrollment and initial PrEP consultation (lab tests) than those in the control group (n = 5) (median: 18 vs 36 days; mean: 26.6 vs 29.2 days), and a shorter period between study enrollment and obtaining the first PrEP prescription (median: 26 vs 53 days; mean: 32.4 vs 50.0 days). However, these subsamples were small and differences did not reach statistical significance. In qualitative interviews, the most commonly mentioned reasons for delays in completing the PrEP consultation or obtaining the initial PrEP prescription were busy work schedules or the challenge to find a time for the clinic visit. In particular, one participant was waiting to finish his PEP treatment before transitioning to PrEP.Qualitative interviews also revealed that not all of the participants who obtained PrEP medications actually started using PrEP right away. The reasons for delaying actual PrEP initiation included wanting to save the PrEP pills for future use, or not expecting to have sexual encounters in the near future. As one participant described:
Participants who had started using PrEP at the time of interview generally reported that PrEP helped bring them peace of mind. This effect combined with few–if any–noticeable side effects, boosted their confidence to continue to use PrEP in the future. One participant (daily PrEP user) explicitly indicated in the qualitative interview that he discontinued PrEP after the first 30 pills due to his own health concerns. No other participants who had started taking PrEP during the trial reported to the study team that they stopped using PrEP during the trial.