LAUSR.org creates dashboard-style pages of related content for over 1.5 million academic articles. Sign Up to like articles & get recommendations!

Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing, Prevalence, and Treatment Among Individuals Receiving HIV Preexposure Prophylaxis Within an Integrated Healthcare Delivery System

Photo by rhsupplies from unsplash

Of preexposure prophylaxis users, human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection testing was greater than 80%, prevalence for rectal chlamydia and gonorrhea was 10.5% and 5.0% at 120 days, and greater than… Click to show full abstract

Of preexposure prophylaxis users, human immunodeficiency virus/sexually transmitted infection testing was greater than 80%, prevalence for rectal chlamydia and gonorrhea was 10.5% and 5.0% at 120 days, and greater than 90% positive chlamydia and gonorrhea tests were treated. Background Initial and follow-up sexually transmitted infection (STI) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing are recommended when taking HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). We assessed STI services before and after PrEP initiation among persons 18 years or older. Methods We conducted this retrospective cohort study at a US integrated healthcare delivery system. We measured HIV/STI testing rates, STI prevalence and treatment at 3 time points: (1) at PrEP initiation, (2) at 120 days, and (3) at 210 days. Results Of 685 PrEP initiators, 67.2% continued PrEP use at 120 days and 49.5% at 210 days. Of PrEP users, HIV and STI testing were greater than 85% and greater than 80%, respectively, at all 3 time points. Prevalence for any chlamydia, rectal chlamydia, and any gonorrhea, rectal gonorrhea, or pharyngeal gonorrhea was always high at the 120 days and 210 days (eg, 6.9%, 10.5%, 6.7%, 5.0%, and 5.2%, respectively, at the 120 days for continuous PrEP users). Over 90% of all individuals who tested positive for chlamydia and gonorrhea received antibiotic pharmacy fills within 7 days at 120 and 210 days. Monthly PrEP-related pharmacy cost was about $2259 to $2659. The proportion of the total medical cost that was PrEP-related pharmacy was about 82% for PrEP continuous users. Conclusions Although HIV/STI testing rates were high, they can still be improved during HIV PrEP management. High STI prevalence after PrEP initiation in this study suggests that patients taking PrEP are at risk of acquiring an STI. Interventions to improve STI services during PrEP management are continuously needed.

Keywords: gonorrhea; sexually transmitted; prevalence; 120 days; preexposure prophylaxis; transmitted infection

Journal Title: Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Year Published: 2022

Link to full text (if available)


Share on Social Media:                               Sign Up to like & get
recommendations!

Related content

More Information              News              Social Media              Video              Recommended



                Click one of the above tabs to view related content.