Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in Ottawa: A Real World View With Benefits Beyond HIV Risk Reduction

Abstract

The number of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has grown since its approval in Canada. While there are sound clinical data on PrEP efficacy, there is less research describing outcomes in routine clinical practice. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 113 men attending our PrEP clinic. Participants completed a one-time survey and chart reviews were conducted. We found that men in our clinic were educated and affluent. While PrEP did not lead to more reported sexual partners, condom use declined, as did sexual anxiety. These results reinforce that PrEP benefits extend beyond HIV prevention.

Keywords:

• HIV
• PrEP
• gay men
• anxiety
• real-world study

Disclosure statement

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