Grant: HIV Implementation Science - Component 1

Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to make up the highest burden of new HIV diagnoses in Canada. In Vancouver, this is particularly true as MSM constitute almost 70% of new diagnoses on a year to year basis. Strategies to prevent HIV infection are critical to reduce this burden. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a novel prevention strategy making use of a medication (tenofovir/emtricitabine) to reduce the risk of acquiring HIV infection. Targeting PrEP for those at highest risk of HIV infection is an important component of new program development. In this project we plan to evaluate knowledge and willingness to use PrEP amongst MSM with highest risk of future HIV infection. This will be accomplished by engaging those with recent diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection or known partners of a newly diagnosed case of HIV to complete a knowledge questionnaire. In addition, we will evaluate the future feasibility of using existing public health contact tracing strategies as a means of offering PrEP to at-risk individuals by assessing the willingness of newly diagnosed HIV positive MSM to refer partners for PreP, and by assessing PrEP knowledge amongst public health nurses in Vancouver. Finally we will perform preliminary evaluation of existing health systems pathways designed to refer individuals with coverage for PreP to clinics offering PrEP services in Vancouver to determine strategies for future expanded programs for PrEP.