Evaluating family physicians' willingness to prescribe PrEP

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Prevention
• Primary Care Medicine

Background:

• Assessing family physicians' (FP) readiness to incorporate pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) into routine clinical practice.
• Focus on the Montpellier region and surrounding areas to understand local integration potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the willingness of family physicians to integrate PrEP services.
• To identify barriers and facilitators for PrEP adoption in primary care settings.
• To assess the need for specific training on PrEP among FPs.

Main Methods:

• A random assessment of 92 family physicians was planned.
• Interviews were conducted with 96 FPs between May and December 2018.
• Data collected included willingness to integrate PrEP, undergo training, and act as primary prescribers.

Main Results:

• 78% of FPs expressed willingness to integrate PrEP into their practice.
• 65% were willing to receive training, and 52% to be the first providers.
• FPs who considered HIV prevention part of their job were more likely to integrate PrEP (P=0.015).
• A significant portion of FPs with some PrEP knowledge lacked awareness of targeted populations or patient discussions.

Conclusions:

• A majority of family physicians are prepared to adopt and be trained on PrEP.
• Limited knowledge regarding PrEP indications and patient counseling appears to be a key barrier to its prescription.
• Further education and support are crucial for successful PrEP implementation in primary care.