“Healthcare Doesn’t Care”: A Mixed-Methods Study on Healthcare Stigma and PrEP Use Among Black Sexual Minority Men

Abstract

Background

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a critical tool for HIV-prevention, yet PrEP uptake among Black sexual minority men (BSMM) is relatively low, despite greater HIV vulnerability. Stigma in healthcare settings can be a substantial barrier to PrEP use among BSMM, with implications for the HIV epidemic. We used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach to assess quantitative relationships between anticipated healthcare stigma and reduced PrEP use among BSMM, and qualitatively explore stigmatizing experiences within healthcare settings among this population.

Methods

We utilized 2 data sources. First, cross-sectional data from a pilot sample of BSMM (n = 151) was collected in late 2020 in the United States. We tested for associations between healthcare stigma and PrEP use using modified Poisson regression. Subsequently, we selected participants (n = 23) from this sample in the D.C. metropolitan area for qualitative interviews starting in 2022; we used thematic analysis to investigate forms of experienced and anticipated healthcare stigma related to PrEP use.

Results

We found 82% lower PrEP use associated with an interquartile range increase in anticipated healthcare stigma after adjustment (aPR = 0.18, 95% CI 0.06, 0.59). Subsequently, our qualitative investigation revealed that identity-specific stigma, negative socioeconomic assumptions, and assumptions of sexual risk were prevalent themes in the healthcare stigmatization experienced by BSMM. Identity-based and socioeconomic stigma were heavily interlinked due to longstanding structural racism and homophobia. Assumptions of sexual risk were particularly complex.

Conclusion

We discovered a significant negative relationship between anticipated healthcare stigma and PrEP use, further elucidated in our qualitative findings. This builds upon our previous work exploring intracommunity PrEP stigma among BSMM. Healthcare stigma serves as an additional obstacle to accessing PrEP for BSMM. This highlights its importance as a target for provider-level health equity policy and research interventions. Future research exploring this stigma in specific healthcare settings is recommended.

Keywords

HIV LGBT health promotion stigma prevention

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