Perceptions of black men who have sex with men about accessing and taking PrEP: A qualitative study

Abstract Black men who have sex with men (MSM) have a 1 in 2 lifetime risk of acquiring HIV infection; yet are underrepresented in biomedical HIV prevention behaviors. In-depth interviews were conducted with Midwestern Black MSM (n = 12) taking PrEP for more than one year. A strength of this study was that it utilized qualitative methodology, which allows the revelation of perceptions that researchers cannot predict a priori. Black MSM in this study were educated and privately insured; even so, an overarching theme that emerged was that obtaining PrEP was a “long, hard road.” Facilitators to PrEP access included having an important person, insight into stigma, wariness of sexual partners, and desire to be a part of something greater than oneself. Findings have important implications for research and clinical practice. Strategies that decrease healthcare system barriers and simplify PrEP access are urgently needed for MSM at risk for HIV acquisition.