Low-Intensity Outreach to Increase Uptake of HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Among Patients with Sexually Transmitted Infections.

We piloted a low-intensity outreach intervention to increase linkage to PrEP care among HIV-uninfected individuals with rectal sexually transmitted infections or syphilis. We sent a secure email message or letter with information about accessing PrEP. Of those sent an email, 12.4% were linked to PrEP care; linkage differed by race/ethnicity, ranging from 0% of Black individuals to 32% of Hispanic individuals (P = 0.019). No individuals sent letters were linked to PrEP care. A one-time secure email to high-risk patients is feasible to increase linkage to PrEP care. Studies are needed to evaluate scalable interventions to increase PrEP uptake in at-risk populations.

Patients' Perceptions and Experiences of Shared Decision-Making in Primary HIV Care Clinics.

Shared decision-making (SDM) is considered best practice in health care. Prior studies have explored attitudes and barriers/facilitators to SDM, with few specific to HIV care. We interviewed 53 patients in HIV primary care clinics in California to understand the factors and situations that may promote or hinder engagement in SDM. Studies in other populations have found that patients' knowledge about their diseases and their trust in providers facilitated SDM. We found these features to be more nuanced for HIV. Perceptions of personal agency, knowledge about one's disease, and trust in provider were factors that could work for or against SDM. Overall, we found that participants described few experiences of SDM, especially among those with no comorbidities. Opportunities for SDM in routine HIV care (e.g., determining antiretroviral therapy) may arise infrequently because of treatment advances. These findings yield considerations for adapting SDM to fit the context of HIV care.