One of AIDS Free Pittsburgh’s (AFP) main goals is to make HIV prevention medication (PrEP) more available and accessible to the community.
PrEP, a pill or injection that reduces the risk of HIV transmission, is a key prevention tool critical to ending the HIV epidemic. Multiple clinical trials have shown PrEP is safe and works very well when taken as prescribed. Since its inception, AFP has conducted periodic PrEP Awareness Surveys to gauge knowledge and opinions of Allegheny County residents and inform future HIV prevention efforts.
In the summer of 2024, AFP conducted its most recent and most comprehensive survey to assess awareness and knowledge of and barriers to accessing PrEP among Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, residents. Responses were collected via an online research panel representative of the county, in person with tablets at predetermined locations (e.g., bars, bus stops), social media, dating app advertisements, flyers, and community groups’ distribution lists. Over 1,300 respondents completed the survey.
The survey found that about two out of every five people in Allegheny County had never heard of PrEP, and more than half didn’t know where they could get it if they wanted to. Awareness of PrEP was much higher in LGBTQ communities, which are more affected by HIV, but lower among people who identified as straight. However, even among groups at higher risk—such as people who do sex work, inject drugs, have recently had an STI, or have multiple partners—PrEP use was still very low, which is a concern.
“The findings highlight the significant successes of AFP and its partners over the past decade in raising awareness of HIV prevention options. The analysis also identifies key areas where additional resources, education, and programming are needed. This is the most comprehensive assessment of PrEP awareness and knowledge in Allegheny County to date, providing critical insights into knowledge gaps and a clearer roadmap for future community and physician outreach efforts,” said Emma Seagle, MPH, Jewish Healthcare Foundation program and data specialist, working on its HIV/AIDS efforts.
“AFP is excited to use the findings from this survey to develop more specific and direct messaging, better focus outreach efforts, and improve prevention and risk reduction collaborations with partners.
“Our next step is to share the findings with Allegheny County residents as well as in clinical settings. To achieve this, AFP plans to host data displays across the city in the coming months. We hope these displays will spark conversations about the results and help further spread awareness about HIV prevention options and efforts,” Seagle said.
