Patient and Provider Decision Making About HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis Following Sexual Violence: A Qualitative Analysis.
Jocelyn C Anderson, Michelle D S Boakye, Jessica Draughon Moret
PMID 37787738WHAT IT FOUND
Patients focused on side effects, trauma, stigma, and daily reminders, while providers focused on HIV risk facts and medication access.
Patients noted providers could better address their concerns about the 28-day HIV PEP course.
Key findings
01Patients weighed side effects, trauma, stigma, support, and the daily reminder of taking HIV PEP for 28 days, and some stopped early when information felt overwhelming or the regimen did not fit their life.
02Providers focused on medically accurate HIV risk information and reported workflow, pharmacy, payment, and prescribing barriers to getting HIV PEP to patients.
03Patients in this sample mostly said access and cost were not personal barriers, but they noted systems and people helped them navigate those tasks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Only 15 patients and 10 providers participated, and all patients had sought post-sexual assault care. The patient sample was insured, mostly cisgender women, mostly White and non-Hispanic, and mostly highly educated, so it may not represent people who do not seek care or face different access barriers. Some patients were interviewed years after the assault, so recall may be inaccurate. Providers were mainly SANE nurses and emergency department physicians from a small number of states, so findings may not represent typical sexual assault care. The study describes perceptions and barriers, not whether any strategy improves HIV PEP completion.
Declared interests
The authors reported no conflicts of interest. The paper is listed as supported by NIH extramural research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that a specific counseling, pharmacy, or payment strategy will improve HIV PEP completion. This qualitative study interviewed 15 patients and 10 providers about their experiences and did not test an intervention.