Gay Men’s Understanding and Education of New HIV Prevention Technologies in Vancouver, Canada
Abstract
Effective rollout of HIV treatment-based prevention such as pre-exposure prophylaxis and treatment as prevention has been hampered by poor education, limited acceptability, and stigma among gay men. We undertook a thematic analysis regarding the education sources and acceptability of these New Prevention Technologies (NPTs) using 15 semistructured interviews with gay men in Vancouver, Canada, who were early adopters of NPTs. NPT education was derived from a variety of sources, including the Internet, health care providers, community organizations, sexual partners, and peers; participants also emphasized their own capacities as learners and educators. Acceptable forms of NPT education featured high-quality factual information, personal testimony, and easy access. Stigma was highlighted as a major barrier. For public health, policy makers, and gay communities to optimize the personal and population benefits of NPTs, there is a need for increased community support and dialogue, antistigma efforts, early NPT adopter testimony, and personalized implementation strategies.
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Biographies
Benjamin J. Klassen is a research assistant at the Momentum Health Study and a MA candidate in the History department at Simon Fraser University.
Nathan J. Lachowsky is an Assistant Professor in the School of Public Health and Social Policy at the University of Victoria and an affiliated researcher with the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.
Sally Yue Lin was a research assistant at the Momentum Health Study and is now a program manager at the University of victoria.
Joshua B. Edward is the Program Manager of knowledge translation at the Health Initiative for Men in Vancouver, Canada and a member of the Community Advisory Board of the Momentum Health Study.
Sarah A. Chown is the Executive Director at YouthCO HIV & Hep C Society in Vancouver, Canada and a member of the Community Advisory Board of the Momentum Health Study.
Robert S. Hogg is a University Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Simon Fraser University and Senior Research Scientist at the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS.
David M. Moore is a Research Scientist at the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of AIDS at the University of British Columbia. He is also the Physician Lead of the Provincial Health Services Agency HIV Program at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control.
Eric A. Roth is a Professor in the Anthropology department at the University of Victoria and a Research Scientist with the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia (CARBC).
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Article first published online: July 1, 2017
Issue published: October 2017
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PubMed: 28936925
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Author Contributions
R.S.H., D.M.M., and E.A.R. are the principal investigators on the Momentum Health Study and oversaw the project. N.J.L. and S.Y.L. prepared research questions and constructed the interview guide for this substudy. N.J.L., S.Y.L., and B.J.K. coded and organized the dataset. B.J.K. and N.J.L. prepared the manuscript with extensive feedback and contributions from all coauthors. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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