Acceptability and appropriateness of information sessions to increase knowledge and awareness of PrEP and TelePrEP among Latina Women

ABSTRACT

Women of color are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Although PrEP effectively prevents HIV infection, PrEP coverage and knowledge remain low in this population. To address barriers to PrEP, we implemented women-centered and culturally appropriate Information Sessions (IS) delivered by staff from the population they serve to increase knowledge, awareness, and use of PrEP through telemedicine (e.g., PlushCare). Our analysis focuses on Latina women (LW) participants, given the dearth of literature dedicated to the needs of LW. We partnered with a woman-led community-based organization (CBO) to implement the strategy with LW clients. Health educators conducted 26 IS with 94 LW (20 in Spanish and 6 in English). Participants who completed the IS were invited for interviews to assess the acceptability and appropriateness of the IS to increase knowledge and awareness of PrEP and PlushCare. Four themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) IS increased knowledge and awareness of PrEP and PlushCare; (2) perceived acceptability and appropriateness of IS; (3) insufficient reasons to warrant use of PrEP; and (4) positive attitudes about PlushCare. Our findings suggest that a women-centered and culturally appropriate IS implemented through a trusted, woman-led CBO is an acceptable and appropriate implementation strategy to inform LW about PrEP.

KEYWORDS:

• Latina cisgender women
• PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)
• PrEP knowledge
• PrEP education
• PrEP literacy
• TelePrEP
• Telehealth
• HIV/AIDS prevention

Acknowledgments

We also want to acknowledge staff from the East Los Angeles Women Center for their contributions to the project and the LW participants for sharing their opinions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions statement

Dilara K. Üsküp and Ronald A. Brooks were involved in conception and design, analysis, interpretation of the data, drafting of the paper, and the final approval of the version to be published. Omar Nieto and Elena-Rosenberg Carlson were involved in analysis, interpretation of the data, drafting of the paper, and revising it critically for intellectual content. All authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Institute of Mental Health [Grant Number 3P30MH058107-24S1, P30MH058107]. Dr. Üsküp was also supported by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) [Grant Number S21 MD000103], the UCLA-CDU CFAR [Grant Number AI152501], and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [Grant Number #1R25DA050723]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health.