Seasons of Risk: Anticipated Behavior on Vacation and Interest in Episodic Antiretroviral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) among a Large National Sample of U.S. Men Who have Sex with Men (MSM)

The current analysis evaluates interest in and acceptability of daily PrEP during short episodes of anticipated increased risk (i.e. Epi-PrEP). 

In 2013, U.S. members of an internet-based MSM sexual networking site were invited to complete a survey about HIV prevention practices in the context of vacationing. 7305 MSM responded to the survey. Of respondents who had vacationed in the past year, 25.6 % reported condomless anal sex (CAS) with new male sex partners while vacationing. 

Most (92.6 %) respondents agreed that having to use PrEP every day was a barrier to PrEP use and 74.3 % indicated they would take PrEP if they knew it would be helpful for short periods of anticipated increased risk. MSM who reported increased CAS while on vacation in the past year were more likely to indicate that they would take PrEP if it were helpful when used for short periods than respondents who did not. 

Studies designed to evaluate uptake, adherence, and protective benefit of short PrEP courses are warranted.

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By: Elsesser SA1, Oldenburg CE1,2, Biello KB1,2, Mimiaga MJ1,2,3, Safren SA1,3,4, Egan JE5, Novak DS6, Krakower DS1,7, Stall R8, Mayer KH9,10,11.

• 1The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, 8th floor, 1340 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
• 2Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.
• 3Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
• 4Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
• 5Department of Behavioral and Community Health Sciences, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
• 6OLB Research Institute, Online Buddies, Inc., Cambridge, USA.
• 7Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
• 8Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
• 9The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, 8th floor, 1340 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. kmayer@fenwayhealth.org.
• 10Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. kmayer@fenwayhealth.org.
• 11Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. kmayer@fenwayhealth.org. 

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