Linking Women to PrEP Care

Incarcerated women engage in high rates of sex- and drug-related behavior that place them at
risk for HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an efficacious means of reducing HIV
acquisition. There is a general lack of knowledge regarding PrEP among women at elevated
risk, and only a small percentage of at-risk women are currently engaged in PrEP care. The
period of incarceration represents an opportunity to identify at-risk women, initiate PrEP
during incarceration, and establish linkage to community-based PrEP care upon release from
incarceration. Further, post-release is a time period that is particularly risky, and there
are numerous barriers that may impede linkage to community-based care in the absence of
intervention.

To date, very little research has been done to improve linkage to PrEP care among US women.
The proposed study will examine the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary efficacy of a
psychoeducation and motivational interviewing intervention to promote PrEP initiation during
incarceration, followed by a patient navigator intervention to facilitate linkage to
community-based PrEP care upon release from incarceration. The long-term goal of this line of
research is to disseminate an efficacious PrEP Care linkage intervention for at-risk women
post-release from incarceration. The present proposal seeks to develop intervention materials
and conduct a small randomized controlled trial (RCT) of the intervention.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Female at birth; at least 18 years of age; not currently pregnant; risk behavior prior
to incarceration that meets CDC indications for PrEP; likely to be incarcerated for
less than 6 months; able to understand and speak English and to provide written and
verbal informed consent