Outcomes of a PrEP Demonstration Project with LGBTQ Youth in a Community-Based Clinic Setting with Integrated Gender-Affirming Care

Maureen D Connolly; Doreen N Dankerlui; Tony Eljallad; Isadore Dodard-Friedman; Amy Tang; Christine L M Joseph

doi:10.1089/trgh.2019.0069

Outcomes of a PrEP Demonstration Project with LGBTQ Youth in a Community-Based Clinic Setting with Integrated Gender-Affirming Care

Transgend Health. 2020 Jun 8;5(2):75-79. doi: 10.1089/trgh.2019.0069. eCollection 2020 Jun 1.

Authors

Maureen D Connolly¹, Doreen N Dankerlui², Tony Eljallad¹, Isadore Dodard-Friedman³, Amy Tang⁴, Christine L M Joseph⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
² Global Health Initiative, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
³ Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
⁴ Department of Public Health Sciences, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan, USA.

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth are disproportionately affected by HIV, and young transgender women (YTW) are especially impacted. The purpose of this small demonstration project was to measure pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence in a community-based clinic for LGBTQ youth in which PrEP services are integrated with gender-affirming care. Of the 50 enrolled participants, 38 had a serum drug assay performed after three or more months and 26% of those had laboratory evidence of highly protective levels of medication. Low adherence highlights the need for culturally tailored follow-up efforts and assistance with the structural barriers to health experienced by LGBTQ youth, especially YTW.

Keywords: LGBT; community-based; pre-exposure prophylaxis; transgender; youth.