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Research Article

Perspectives on Social Support and Stigma in PrEP-related Care among Gay and Bisexual Men: A Qualitative Investigation

, MS, , MD, , PhD & , PhD
Pages 254-276 | Published online: 22 Sep 2020
 

ABSTRACT

Despite its effectiveness at preventing HIV, uptake of PrEP has been slow. PrEP-related stigma is a potential barrier to uptake. Social support has been found to buffer against some PrEP stigma. Unfortunately, little research has investigated the relationship between social support and PrEP-related care. In 2018, we conducted 20 semistructured interviews with MSM who use PrEP (ages 22–70). Interview questions explored social support and PrEP-related stigma, and how these and other psychosocial factors affected PrEP use and continuation. Data were analyzed using grounded theory. Social support was important in PrEP-related care and promoted adaptive behavioral responses, such as adherence to PrEP-related medical care and enhancing resilience to stress. Participants described psychosocial benefits of PrEP, such as reduced HIV-related anxiety, but some also reported that PrEP-related stigma was an additional stressor. Findings suggest that social support has significant impacts within PrEP-related care and may help buffer against stigma.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Department of Psychology at Marquette University.

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