Men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV are highly interested in doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP) for preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs), according to results published in AIDS. Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH, and colleagues assessed determinants of doxyPEP awareness and uptake in 827 MSM with HIV in the United States. Nearly half of the participants (46%) were aware of, but not currently prescribed, doxyPEP, while 41% had never heard of it. Only 13% of participants were currently taking doxyPEP. Among 360 participants deemed eligible for doxyPEP by CDC criteria, which includes MSM with a bacterial STI in the prior year, 20% were prescribed it, 49% had heard of it but were not on it, and 31% were unaware of it; 95% of unaware participants expressed interest in doxyPEP. Awareness and uptake were higher among participants with a recent bacterial STI. Th is high degree of interest indicates an “unmet demand” in integrated HIV/sexual healthcare, according to Dr. Gandhi and colleagues.
