PrEP Stigma, HIV Stigma, and Intention to Use PrEP Among Women in New York City and Philadelphia

Stigma is an important contributor to the continued HIV epidemic in the United States. In 2016, women made up nearly 1 in 5 of all new infections. Preexposure HIV prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication that can be taken to prevent HIV acquisition; however, PrEP is significantly underutilized by women at risk for infection. How PrEP stigma relates to PrEP initiation among women is not well understood. Surveys were completed by 160 PrEP-eligible women aged 18-55 years in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York City, New York. Associations between PrEP stigma, HIV stigma, and PrEP initiation intention were modeled using multinomial logistic regression, controlling for sociodemographic and theoretically relevant variables. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 55 years (M = 40.2; SD = 11.78). Most (79%) identified as Black or African American and/or Latina and 36% had completed high school or less. Higher PrEP stigma was significantly associated with lower PrEP initiation intention while controlling for other theoretically relevant and sociodemographic variables. HIV stigma was not related to PrEP initiation intention. HIV prevention interventions seeking to increase PrEP initiation among PrEP-eligible, urban women need to address the role that PrEP stigma plays in PrEP uptake.