Forced Sexual Encounters and HIV Pre- and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Use Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: A...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Sexual Health

Background:

• Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV.
• Forced sexual encounters (FSE) represent a significant risk factor for HIV acquisition among MSM.
• Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are crucial HIV prevention tools, but their use in relation to FSE requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the relationship between experiencing forced sexual encounters (FSE) and the utilization of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM).
• To identify disparities in PrEP and PEP uptake among MSM who have experienced FSE.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study utilizing primary data collected from August 2022 to July 2023.
• Involved a large cohort of 21,373 participants.
• Assessed self-reported history of FSE, past-year PEP use, and current PrEP use.

Main Results:

• 21% of MSM participants reported experiencing FSE within the last 5 years.
• 3.26% reported past-year PEP use, and 24.81% reported current PrEP use.
• MSM who experienced FSE demonstrated higher odds of past-year PEP use but lower odds of current PrEP use compared to those who did not experience FSE.

Conclusions:

• Forced sexual encounters (FSE) are associated with distinct patterns of HIV prevention tool utilization (PEP vs. PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM).
• There is a critical need for enhanced communication strategies regarding HIV prevention for MSM at risk of sexual violence.
• Targeted interventions are necessary to ensure equitable access and uptake of both PrEP and PEP for vulnerable MSM populations.