HIV Risk-Related Behaviors and Willingness to Use Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Black Americans with an Arrest History.

OBJECTIVE: Black individuals in the USA are arrested and incarcerated at a significantly higher rate than White individuals, and incarceration is associated with increased HIV vulnerability. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) reduces the risk for HIV transmission, but little is known about the relationship between HIV risk behavior and willingness to use PrEP among Black individuals with an arrest history. METHOD: A total of 868 individuals completed a nationally representative survey and provided baseline data on sexual risk. Participants were grouped as those with a history of arrest (N = 226) and those with no history of arrest (N=619) based on self-reported arrest history. Our study examined HIV risk behaviors associated with willingness to use PrEP between those with arrest history and those without arrest history. RESULTS: Participants with an arrest history were more likely to have a lifetime history of anal sex (p<0.0001) and sexually transmitted diseases (p=0.0007). A history of multiple sexual partners in the past 3 months was associated with PrEP willingness in individuals with an arrest history [aPR 2.61 (1.77, 3.85), p<0.0001], adjusting for other covariates in the model. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in risk behavior and willingness to use PrEP exist by arrest history. Understanding these risk behaviors are necessary to increase access to PrEP. PrEP uptake and adherence interventions, when recommended and made available for individuals at substantive risk of HIV infection at the time of arrest and during incarceration, are essential to reducing the spread of HIV in correctional facilities and in communities to which they return.

Readiness of US Federally Qualified Health Centers to Provide HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis.

We report the results of a survey on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) perceptions, capacity, and barriers at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) in high-HIV burden jurisdictions in the United States. Health care workers at FQHCs identified multiple barriers to, and strategies for, improving PrEP implementation.

Association Between HIV Testing and HIV-Related Risk Behaviors Among US and Non-US Born Black Individuals Living in the US: Results From the National Survey on HIV in the Black Community (NSHBC).

Despite improvements in HIV prevention and treatment, Black individuals continue to be disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic in the US. Using data from the National Survey on HIV in the Black Community, we examined the differences in demographic characteristics, risk behaviors, and HIV testing between US and non-US born Black adults. 868 individuals completed the survey and provided baseline data on sexual risk. Participants were grouped as US-born (N = 763) and non-US born (N = 101) based on self-reported place of birth. Amongst US-born participants, males were less likely to test for HIV, whereas those who reported a lifetime history of anal sex and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) were more likely to test for HIV. Non-US born participants who reported a single marital status were less likely to test for HIV, whereas those who reported a lifetime history of STIs were more likely to test for HIV. Some differences in predictors of HIV testing exist by place of birth. Understanding these differences is needed to develop HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs for US and non-US born Black individuals.