The Provision of HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis in the Context of Child Sex Trafficking

Child sex trafficking (CST) victims are at risk for HIV infection due to a convergence of both social and biological factors. However, sparse recommendations and guidelines exist for providers on the provision of HIV non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) for CST patients. We evaluated whether pediatricians would provide HIV nPEP in a clinical vignette where a patient disclosed ongoing involvement in CST. Participants were relatively divided regarding whether they would provide HIV nPEP; 58.8% responded yes and 41.2% responded no. This highlights the need for medical guidelines to address the complex and case specific considerations of providing nPEP to these victims.