Readiness for HIV Postexposure Prophylaxis (PEP) Decision Making Following Sexual Violence.
Jessica Draughon Moret, Machelle Wilson, Jacke Humphrey-Staub and 3 others
PMID 39173124WHAT IT FOUND
Among sexual assault survivors offered HIV PEP, feeling more prepared for the decision was linked to fear of HIV, PTSD symptoms, positive disclosure responses, unsupportive acknowledgement, and payment source.
Higher cost categories were linked to lower preparedness.
Key findings
01Preparedness for HIV PEP decision making was associated with fear of HIV, PTSD symptoms, positive response to disclosure, unsupportive acknowledgement, and who paid for medications.
02For each increasing cost category, the average preparedness for decision score decreased 0.09.
03Most participants reported being completely or mostly confident they could take the full 28 days of HIV PEP as prescribed.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot show whether fear, PTSD symptoms, disclosure responses, or payment source caused changes in preparedness. Participants were recruited online and reported data, so researchers could not verify treatment regimens or follow-up. The internet-recruited sample included more men than typical clinical samples. The survey did not collect all covariates, including some assault-related variables.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that fear of HIV, PTSD symptoms, positive disclosure responses, unsupportive acknowledgement, or payment source cause better preparedness. This cross-sectional survey only shows associations, and it cannot tell whether symptoms preceded or followed the assault or PEP decision.