Developing implementation strategies to enhance PrEP delivery to immigrant Latino men who have sex with men using concept mapping.

Abstract

In the United States, immigrant Latino men who have sex with men (ILMSM) are disproportionately impacted by HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention strategy; however, ILMSM experience barriers to accessing PrEP. To address these barriers, we used concept mapping to identify and prioritize innovative and culturally centered strategies to improve service delivery to ILMSM in Los Angeles County. Community experts brainstormed strategies to enhance delivery to ILMSM. Next, they consolidated the strategies into groups of like strategies, and rated each strategy by relative importance and feasibility. In total, 19 participants created 80 unique implementation strategies, which were sorted into seven clusters of like strategies. The strategy rated most important involved providing immediate access to and enrollment in PrEP services for ILMSM using approaches such as same-day services and walk-in clinics. The two strategies equally rated as most feasible centered on providing education and information to ILMSM about key topics relevant to their PrEP access, including PrEP services, other STI prevention options, healthcare and immigrant rights. The proposed strategies can be considered by County and community-based agencies alike to inform the existing PrEP service delivery system or development of a differentiated service delivery model to better serve ILMSM.