Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

4-22-2020

Publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Publisher Location

Las Vegas, Nevada

First page number:

1

Last page number:

91

Abstract

Advanced Undergraduate Winner

Uptake of PrEP and PEP amongst LatinX population has been low, despite being a population disproportionately affected by HIV. Systemic barriers and cultural factors affect general LatinX approaches to healthcare and may impact uptake of these medications. The purpose of this study is to assess the factors that are associated with the likelihood to take PrEP and PEP in the LatinX population. In this cross-sectional study, survey data was collected from 169 LatinXs from January - March 2020. Using the Sexual Health Model as the theoretical framework, the survey examined the following four constructs to identify factors associated with PrEP and PEP uptake: talking about sex, culture and sexual identity, sexual health care and safer sex, and spirituality. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, correlations, and logistic regressions were calculated. The likelihood to take PrEP ( p < 0.001) significantly predicted the likelihood of taking PrEP if it were free, as did the likelihood to take PEP (p < 0.001) to the likelihood of taking PEP if it were free. While sexual comfort was not a predictor of the likelihood of taking PrEP or PEP, it had a significant positive correlation with the likelihood of uptake for both. The factors HIV knowledge, HIV/STI-related behaviors, Machismo beliefs, and folk illness beliefs were not statistically significant. The findings contribute to the literature regarding the barriers of PrEP and PEP uptake among LatinXs. The results suggest that LatinXs must become better informed of these prevention strategies and lessen possible worries regarding drug expenses and side-effects.

Keywords

LatinX; PrEP uptake; PEP uptake; Machismo; Curanderos; Hispanic; Pre-exposure prophylaxis; Post-exposure prophylaxis; HIV; HIV prevention

Disciplines

Community Health and Preventive Medicine

File Format

pdf

File Size

879 KB

Language

English

Comments

Bibliography is listed on pages 54-59.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.


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