Provider Knowledge Gaps in HIV PrEP Affect Practice Patterns in the US Navy.
Mil Med
; 185(1-2): e117-e124, 2020 02 13.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31184703
INTRODUCTION: Although HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is available at no cost to personnel in the United States (U.S.) military, uptake has been lower than expected. An online survey was conducted assessing current knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes of primary care providers in the U.S. Navy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional anonymous online survey was conducted among U.S. Navy healthcare providers in active service. Providers' demographics, medical practice and PrEP experience, and attitudes regarding PrEP were assessed by self-rated PrEP knowledge. RESULTS: Greater than half of respondents reported being knowledgeable about PrEP and a majority (78%) supported the provision of PrEP in the military health system. However, only 19% had ever prescribed PrEP. Self-reports of having been questioned by a patient about PrEP, having high levels of comfort discussing sexual risk behaviors, and being in a specialty of infectious disease, occupational health, or preventive medicine were associated with increased knowledge about PrEP. The more knowledgeable a provider was about PrEP, the more likely they were to prescribe it (29% vs. 6%). CONCLUSIONS: Although Navy providers were supportive of the provision of PrEP by the military, knowledge gaps remain. Training to address the knowledge deficit as well as improving sexual history taking are potential areas to target in implementing PrEP in primary care specialties.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
HIV Infections
Type of study:
Observational_studies
/
Prevalence_studies
/
Qualitative_research
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
America do norte
Language:
En
Journal:
Mil Med
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Country of publication:
United kingdom