Demographics, Trends, and Clinical Characteristics of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Recipients and People Newly Diagnosed with HIV from Large Electronic Health Records in Florida.

Abstract

Florida is one of the HIV epicenters with high incidence and marked sociodemographic disparities. We analyzed a decade of statewide electronic health record/claims data-OneFlorida+-to identify and characterize pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) recipients and newly diagnosed HIV cases in Florida. Refined computable phenotype algorithms were applied and a total of 2186 PrEP recipients and 7305 new HIV diagnoses were identified between January 2013 and April 2021. We examined patients' sociodemographic characteristics, stratified by self-reported sex, along with both frequency-driven and expert-selected descriptions of clinical conditions documented within 12 months before the first PrEP use or HIV diagnosis. PrEP utilization rate increased in both sexes; higher rates were observed among males with sex differences widening in recent years. HIV incidence peaked in 2016 and then decreased with minimal sex differences observed. Clinical characteristics were similar between the PrEP and new HIV diagnosis cohorts, characterized by a low prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and a high prevalence of mental health and substance use conditions. Study limitations include the overrepresentation of Medicaid recipients, with over 96% of female PrEP users on Medicaid, and the inclusion of those engaged in regular health care. Although PrEP uptake increased in Florida, and HIV incidence decreased, sex disparity among PrEP recipients remained. Screening efforts beyond individuals with documented prior STI and high-risk behavior, especially for females, including integration of mental health care with HIV counseling and testing, are crucial to further equalize PrEP access and improve HIV prevention programs.