Despite their efficacy, biomedical HIV prevention tools such as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have been insufficiently scaled up and disseminated, especially among marginalized subgroups that face substantial HIV disparities. Given the minimal literature available on PEP among Latino sexual minority men (LSMM), this cross-sectional secondary analysis explored factors associated with PEP awareness among a group of LSMM living in South Florida, a US HIV epicenter. The parent study examined patterns of engagement in PrEP and behavioral health treatment services among LSMM (N = 290). The current secondary analysis (N = 243) identified factors associated with PEP awareness using three methods: stochastic search variable selection, participatory data science, and literature review-before being modeled using linear regression. Most participants (67.5%) reported having little to no awareness about PEP before initiating our study. Simple linear regression models suggested that higher PrEP knowledge (B = 0.17, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001), HIV knowledge (B = 0.15, SE = 0.04, p < 0.001), PrEP self-efficacy (B = 0.37, SE = 0.13, p < 0.05), and high perceived community norms for HIV testing (B = 0.29, SE = 0.14, p < 0.05) were each associated with LSMM's greater PEP awareness, while identity affirmation was associated with less PEP awareness (B = -0.13, SE = 0.05, p < 0.01). Results suggest the utility of our three-pronged variable selection approach and address gaps in PEP awareness and use among LSMM living in a US HIV epicenter to support Ending the HIV Epidemic goals.
Keywords: HIV/AIDS; Latino/Latinx; biomedical HIV prevention; post-exposure prophylaxis; sexual minority men.