Residents and Fellows Research in Progress
Sunday, November 12, 2023
12:45 PM–02:15 PM
Abstract
Introduction:
Research on pharmacy-based sexually transmitted infection (STI) care is limited, and evaluation of the ability of these services to reach underserved populations is almost non-existent. Aside from offering services in specific towns or neighborhoods with high diversity present, little is known about how to improve access to these services for these populations. These location based services tend to result in non-generalizable data, and often target only one underserved demographic.
The PrEP-Rx study was conducted in Nova Scotia and involved pharmacist prescribing of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Participant recruitment was conducted through social media and referral by participating pharmacists. According to PrEP eligibility in Nova Scotia, target populations included gay and bisexual men who have sex with men (gbMSM) and persons who inject drugs.
Research Question or Hypothesis:
- What were the demographics of participants recruited for PrEP-Rx?
- What strategies can be implemented to improve reach to underserved communities for pharmacy-based sexual health services?
Study Design:
Mixed-methods evaluation study.
Methods:
Demographic information (eligibility, gender, race/ethnicity, insurance status) for PrEP-Rx participants was extracted from study data. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize results. A qualitative study using interviews with pharmacists and community stakeholders is planned to answer the remaining research questions.
Results:
Of the 44 participants, 100% were gbMSM, and 82% were white. Of these people, 5% are gender diverse. Ethnicities included 5% African Nova Scotian, 2% African Canadian, 5% South Asian, 2% South East Asian, 9% First Nations, 9% Hispanic or Latinx, 2% Middle Eastern, 5% other. Of the 39 participants who were prescribed PrEP, 38% were uninsured.
Conclusion:
Participant recruitment methods for the PrEP-Rx study resulted in a sample with limited diversity. Future research aims to explore this finding and inform practice by identifying effective promotion strategies to improve STI service uptake by underserved groups.
Presenting Author
Pilar Robinson Gonzalez BBiomedSci, BPharmDalhousie University
Authors
Emily Black PharmD
Dalhousie University
Shanna Trenaman PhD
Dalhousie University
Kyle Wilby PhD