Open pilot trial of a brief motivational interviewing-based HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis intervention for men who have sex with men: preliminary effects, and evidence of feasibility and acceptability

ABSTRACT

Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high-risk of HIV infection in the United States. Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has demonstrated efficacy in reducing HIV acquisition among MSM. However, PrEP uptake in real-world clinical settings has been slow and uneven. Guided by Self-Regulation Theory, we developed and evaluated a brief (15–25 min) motivational interviewing (MI)-based intervention to promote PrEP uptake in an uncontrolled pilot trial. Nineteen MSM were recruited during the course of routine HIV screening at a sexually transmitted diseases clinic. We administered the 2-session intervention in-person and by telephone. Thirteen (72%) participants completed baseline and 1-month follow-up assessments; all found the intervention and its components highly acceptable. Over the 1-month period, seven participants (37%) obtained a PrEP prescription, more than tripling the rate previously observed with PrEP counseling and referrals alone (11%). The most common barrier to uptake was out-of-pocket costs. This approach was feasible and underscored the need for financial assistance and other PrEP navigation services to supplement behavioral interventions to enhance PrEP uptake.

KEYWORDS:

• PrEP
• intervention
• MSM
• HIV
• motivational interviewing

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author, Ethan Moitra. The data are not publicly available due to their containing information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse [grant number R34 DA042648].