PrEP Continuation, HIV and STI Testing Rates, and Delivery of Preventive Care in a Clinic-Based Cohort

• Published in: AIDS education and prevention Vol. 30; no. 5; p. 393
• Main Authors: Hevey, Matthew A, Walsh, Jennifer L, Petroll, Andrew E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-10-2018
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Ambulatory Care Facilities - organization & administration; Anti-HIV Agents - administration & dosage; Cohort Studies; Delivery of Health Care; Female; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Humans; Incidence; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Compliance; Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis - methods; Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis - statistics & numerical data; Primary Prevention - methods; Retrospective Studies; Sexually Transmitted Diseases - epidemiology; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; real-world clinic setting; pre-exposure prophylaxis; HIV; preventive care; prevention
• ISSN: 1943-2755
• DOI: 10.1521/aeap.2018.30.5.393

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been demonstrated to be a safe and effective method of reducing HIV incidence. Questions remain regarding PrEP's efficacy and outcomes in real-world clinical settings. We conducted a retrospective review to assess PrEP outcomes in an academic clinic setting and focused on retention in care, reasons for discontinuation, and receipt of appropriate preventive care (immunizations, HIV testing, and STI testing). One hundred thirty-four patients were seen between 2010 and 2016 over 309 visits. One hundred sixteen patients (87%) started daily PrEP and of those, 88 (76%) attended at least one 6-month follow-up visit. Over 60% of PrEP patients completed all recommended STI screening after starting PrEP. Only 40% of patients had all appropriate immunizations at baseline; 78% had all appropriate immunizations at study completion. This study demonstrated high rates of both retention and of attaining recommended preventive care in a clinical setting outside of the rigors of clinical trials.