Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Community-Based Research; Health Psychology; Hiv/Aids; Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills Model; Prep; Sexual Health; Sexual Health Counseling; Sexual Minority Men

Communication about PrEP in serodifferent relationships of sexual minority men (SMM) is considered a valuable HIV prevention strategy, yet many SMM living with HIV do not discuss PrEP use with their HIV-negative partners. Given that few to no HIV-prevention interventions have promoted PrEP communication among SMM living with HIV, this study aims to evaluate whether Gay Poz Sex (GPS), a relevant sexual health counseling program that has demonstrated impact on reducing risky sexual behaviours and sexual compulsivity, is efficacious in facilitating PrEP communication among SMM living with HIV. The study will use a four-time-point longitudinal approach, collecting participants' (<em>n</em> = 100) demographics, sexual behaviours, knowledge of HIV and PrEP, beliefs about personal motivation in HIV prevention, and PrEP-related communication at baseline, post-intervention, 3 months, and 12 months afterwards. It is predicted that at the 3-month follow-up, the GPS intervention will result in (a) increased knowledge related to HIV transmission and PrEP, (b) greater perceived responsibility to protect sexual partners from HIV, and (c) increased odds of PrEP communication with partners. This study is the first to (1) explore a PrEP communication intervention for SMM living with HIV, (2) empirically evaluate GPS counseling components, and (3) assess the intervention's long-term effectiveness. Positive outcomes could highlight GPS as a counseling intervention concurrently promoting HIV-preventive behaviours and PrEP uptake, offering valuable guidance for healthcare professionals working with SMM, especially those in serodifferent relationships.