Exploring the Perspectives and Experiences of PrEP-eligible Black Women in Texas in Relation to Readiness for PrEP Uptake and Adherence

The aim is to conduct two virtual focus groups (10 participants in each group) with 20 pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)-eligible Black women in Houston and Austin, TX. Participants will be assigned to focus groups with other women based on their position about PrEP uptake (considered use versus not considered use). Focus group questions will build on an ecologic model framework to inquire about participant's intrapersonal, interpersonal, and community-level factors that influence access to and use of HIV prevention services. This strategy aims to examine potential barriers to PrEP uptake among PrEP-eligible women in two Texas' hotspots.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: PrEP Uptake Perspectives; PrEP Uptake Experiences; PrEP Adherence Perspectives; PrEP Adherence Experiences

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 20

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Texas
    • Austin, Texas, United States, 78712
      • The University of Texas at Austin
    • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
      • The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

PrEP-eligible Black women in Harris County of Houston, TX and Travis County of Austin, TX will be recruited. An e-flyer will be distributed through the social media networks of academic and community partners, with potential for sharing amongst their followers to their social media following.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• assigned female sex at birth
• identify as Black or African American
• 18 years of age or older
• have had condomless sex with a cisgender man within the past 12 months
• fluent in English or Spanish
• have a phone or internet access
• not currently on PrEP and have never taken PrEP

Exclusion Criteria:

• choose not to identify as Black or African American
• unable to provide informed consent for participation (e.g. have severe cognitive impairment that would interfere with their ability to consent)
• have psychological distress that would prohibit them from participating in the study
• unable or unwilling to meet study requirements
• ineligible for HIV prevention services [i.e., Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Positive]
• received a prescription for PrEP within 12 months
• has a history of PrEP uptake or is currently on PrEP

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

Number of groups / cohorts

2

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Have considered use of PrEP
Have not considered use of PrEP

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Facilitators to readiness to adopt PrEP	A focus group will be used to identify facilitators to readiness to adopt PrEP (a focus group is a group interview among the study participants with the purpose of collecting information about a topic, in this case facilitators to readiness to adopt PrEP). During the focus group, focus group participants will be asked to indicate facilitators to readiness to adopt PrEP, and these facilitators to readiness will be recorded at the time of the focus group. These facilitators to readiness identified during the focus group will be reported categorically.	during the focus group
Barriers to readiness to adopt PrEP	A focus group will be used to identify barriers to readiness to adopt PrEP (a focus group is a group interview among the study participants with the purpose of collecting information about a topic, in this case barriers to readiness to adopt PrEP). During the focus group, focus group participants will be asked to indicate barriers to readiness to adopt PrEP, and these barriers to readiness will be recorded at the time of the focus group. These barriers to readiness identified during the focus group will be reported categorically.	during the focus group

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston
• Collaborators: Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Mandy J Hill, DrPH, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 20, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): June 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 25, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 2, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): September 7, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): November 29, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 27, 2023
• Last Verified: November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: HSC-MS-22-0565

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No