Factors Associated With Willingness to Use Daily Antibiotics as Sexually Transmitted Infection Prophylaxis Among HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis-Experienced Gay and Bisexual Men in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Gay and bisexual men (GBM) who use HIV preexposure prophylaxis (HIV-PrEP) have high rates of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The use of daily antibiotics as STI preexposure prophylaxis (STI-PrEP) may be appealing to GBM who are using or have previously used HIV-PrEP (HIV-PrEP-experienced) for the prevention of bacterial STIs. METHODS: We examined willingness to use daily STI-PrEP among a cross-sectional sample of HIV-PrEP-experienced GBM in Australia who participated in an observational online cohort study from August 2018 to March 2020. Factors associated with willingness to use daily STI-PrEP were determined using bivariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Of the 1347 participants, half (54.3%) were willing to use daily STI-PrEP. Factors independently associated with greater willingness to use daily STI-PrEP included having >10 sexual partners in the last 6 months, using methamphetamine in the last 6 months, being more conscious about avoiding STIs, having a greater number of STIs since commencing HIV-PrEP, being willing to take HIV-PrEP for as long as they were at risk of acquiring HIV, and only using condoms when a sexual partner requested them. Conversely, factors associated with less willingness to use daily STI-PrEP included being university educated, using nondaily dosing regimens of HIV-PrEP, preferring event-driven HIV-PrEP, and being concerned about long-term HIV-PrEP adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Sexually transmitted infection PrEP is likely to be appealing to many HIV-PrEP-experienced GBM, especially those who engage in activities associated with a higher risk of STI transmission. However, they are less likely to be willing to use STI-PrEP unless it aligns with their HIV-PrEP dosing regimen, suggesting that research into the safety and efficacy of alternative STI prophylaxis dosing options should be prioritized.

Characteristics of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Seroconversions in a Large Prospective Implementation Cohort Study of Oral HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis in Men Who Have Sex with Men (EPIC-NSW).

BACKGROUND: Most human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroconversions in people who have initiated preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) occur in the context of insufficient adherence. We describe participants who seroconverted after being dispensed PrEP in a large PrEP implementation study in Australia. METHODS: Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities in New South Wales was an implementation study of daily oral PrEP in individuals aged ≥18 years at high risk for acquiring HIV. HIV seroconversions were defined as a positive HIV test by either antigen, antibody, or detectable HIV viral load after enrollment. Insufficient adherence, measured by dispensing logs or participant self-report, was defined as <4 PrEP doses per week. RESULTS: A total of 9596 participants were enrolled and dispensed PrEP between 1 March 2016 and 30 April 2018; 30 were diagnosed with HIV by 31 March 2019. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 31 (25-38) years, all identified as male, 29 (97%) identified as gay or homosexual, and 20 (69%) lived in a postcode with a low concentration of gay male residents. The median (IQR) days from first PrEP dispensing to diagnosis was 409 (347-656). There was no evidence that participants who seroconverted had been sufficiently adherent to PrEP. Nineteen (63%) participants who seroconverted were diagnosed with chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, or new hepatitis C infection. One participant had resistance to emtricitabine (M184V mutation) at diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Participants who seroconverted were insufficiently adherent to PrEP despite being at high risk for acquiring HIV. Understanding the reasons for poor PrEP adherence in individuals who subsequently acquire HIV is critical to improving PrEP effectiveness.

Low Prior Exposure and Incidence of Hepatitis C in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Negative Gay and Bisexual Men Taking Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP): Findings From the Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities-New South Wales Prospective Implementation Study.

BACKGROUND: The use of preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has raised concerns of increased sexual risk behaviors. These behaviors may be associated with increased incidence of sexually acquired hepatitis C virus (HCV) among gay and bisexual men. METHODS: The Expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities-New South Wales (EPIC-NSW) study was a cohort study of daily coformulated tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine for HIV prevention. We recruited 9596 people at high risk of HIV acquisition from 31 clinics across New South Wales and the Australia Capital Territory in Australia. We report prior exposure to HCV and incidence in this cohort between 2016 and 2019. RESULTS: At least 1 HCV test result was available for 8658 (90.2%) participants. These individuals had a median age of 34 years (interquartile range, 28-43), most of whom were male (8530, 98.5%), identified as gay (7944, 91.8%), and were born in Australia (51.8%). Prior exposure to HCV was detected among 81 participants at baseline (0.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .71.2). Twenty of 8577 participants were diagnosed with incident infection (rate 0.2/100 person-years [95% CI: .1-.3/100 person-years]). They were significantly older (median age 41 years vs 34 years, P = .044), and more likely to report methamphetamine use at baseline (incidence rate ratio, 2.7 [95% CI: 1.00-7.2]) than those without incident infection. CONCLUSIONS: In this population of PrEP users, HCV prior exposure and incidence were low. With high levels of HCV and HIV testing and treatment, the dual goals of HIV and HCV elimination could be achieved in this population. Clinical Trials Registration: number NCT02870790.

Overcoming barriers to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) coverage in Australia among Medicare-ineligible people at risk of HIV: results from the MI-EPIC clinical trial.

Background Overseas-born people who are ineligible for government-subsidised health care experience barriers to accessing HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Australia. This study aimed to assess a program providing free PrEP to overseas-born adults at risk of acquiring HIV. Methods Medicare-Ineligible Expanded Implementation in Communities (MI-EPIC) was a single-arm, open-label trial of daily tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine as PrEP. Six clinics recruited Medicare-ineligible adults who met HIV risk criteria in New South Wales, Australia. We recorded data on HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnoses, and PrEP dispensing from July 2019 to June 2020. PrEP adherence as a medication possession ratio (MPR) was calculated as pills dispensed divided by days. We administered an optional survey on behaviours and attitudes to PrEP and sexual health. Results The 221 participants (206 men; 93.2%) had a median age of 29years (IQR 26-34). Participants were mostly born in Asia (53.4%), Latin America or the Caribbean (25.3%), or Europe (10.9%). Adherence was high; 190 participants (86.0%) had an MPR of >60%. Of 121 survey participants, 42 (34.7%) completed the survey in a language other than English. Of participants who had not used PrEP in the 6months before enrolment (n=45, 37.2%), the most common reasons were cost (n=22, 48.9%), and lack of knowledge about accessing PrEP (n=20, 44.4%). Conclusions Medicare-ineligible people at risk of HIV demonstrate high adherence when given access to free PrEP and translated information. Increasing PrEP awareness and reducing barriers to accessing PrEP in this high-risk population should be priorities in HIV prevention.

Barriers to Care in Gout: From Prescriber to Patient.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the understanding of gout and its management by patients and general practitioners (GP), and to identify barriers to optimal gout care. METHODS: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 GP and 22 patients in Sydney, Australia. Discussions were focused on medication adherence, experiences with gout, and education and perceptions around interventions for gout. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes using an analytical framework. RESULTS: Adherence to urate-lowering medications was identified as problematic by GP, but less so by patients with gout. However, patients had little appreciation of the risk of acute attacks related to variable adherence. Patients felt stigmatized that their gout diagnosis was predominantly related to perceptions that alcohol and dietary excess were causal. Patients felt they did not have enough education about gout and how to manage it. A manifestation of this was that uric acid concentrations were infrequently measured. GP were concerned that they did not know enough about managing gout and most were not familiar with current guidelines for management. For example and importantly, the strategies for reducing the risk of acute attacks when commencing urate-lowering therapy (ULT) were not well appreciated by GP or patients. CONCLUSION: Patients and GP wished to know more about gout and its management. Greater success in establishing and maintaining ULT will require further and better education to substantially benefit patients. Also, given the prevalence, and personal and societal significance of gout, innovative approaches to transforming the management of this eminently treatable disease are needed.