TY - JOUR
T1 - Awareness and Acceptability of Undetectable = Untransmittable Among a U.S. National Sample of HIV-Negative Sexual and Gender Minorities
AU - Carneiro, Pedro B.
AU - Westmoreland, Drew A.
AU - Patel, Viraj V.
AU - Grov, Christian
N1 - Funding Information:
Together 5,000 was funded by the National Institutes for Health (UG3 AI 133675—PI Grov). Viraj Patel was supported by a career development award (K23MH102118). Other forms of support include the CUNY Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, the Einstein-Rockefeller-CUNY Center for AIDS Research (ERC CFAR, P30 AI124414). Acknowledgements
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2021/2
Y1 - 2021/2
N2 - While the “Undetectable = Untransmittable” (U=U) message is widely endorsed, little is known about its breadth and reach. Our study describes socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors associated with having heard of and trusting in U =U in a U.S. national sample of HIV-negative participants. Data were derived from the Together 5,000 cohort study, an internet-based U.S. national cohort of cis men, trans men and trans women who have sex with men. Approximately 6 months after enrollment, participants completed an optional survey included in the present cross-sectional analysis (n = 3286). Measures included socio-demographic and healthcare-related characteristics; questions pertaining to knowledge of and trust in U=U (dependable variable). We used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic models to identify characteristics associated with these variables and explored patterns in willingness to engage in condomless anal sex (CAS) with regard to trust in U=U. In total, 85.5% of participants reported having heard of U=U. Among those aware of U=U, 42.3% indicated they trusted it, 19.8% did not, and 38.0% were unsure about it. Latinx, Asian, lower income, and Southern participants were less likely to have heard of U=U. Having had a recent clinical discussion about PrEP or being a former-PrEP user were associated with trust in U=U. Willingness to engage in CAS was positively associated with trust in U=U, and varied based on the partner’s serostatus, PrEP use and viral load. Although we found high rates of awareness and low levels of distrust, our study indicated that key communities remain unaware and/or skeptical of U=U.
AB - While the “Undetectable = Untransmittable” (U=U) message is widely endorsed, little is known about its breadth and reach. Our study describes socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors associated with having heard of and trusting in U =U in a U.S. national sample of HIV-negative participants. Data were derived from the Together 5,000 cohort study, an internet-based U.S. national cohort of cis men, trans men and trans women who have sex with men. Approximately 6 months after enrollment, participants completed an optional survey included in the present cross-sectional analysis (n = 3286). Measures included socio-demographic and healthcare-related characteristics; questions pertaining to knowledge of and trust in U=U (dependable variable). We used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic models to identify characteristics associated with these variables and explored patterns in willingness to engage in condomless anal sex (CAS) with regard to trust in U=U. In total, 85.5% of participants reported having heard of U=U. Among those aware of U=U, 42.3% indicated they trusted it, 19.8% did not, and 38.0% were unsure about it. Latinx, Asian, lower income, and Southern participants were less likely to have heard of U=U. Having had a recent clinical discussion about PrEP or being a former-PrEP user were associated with trust in U=U. Willingness to engage in CAS was positively associated with trust in U=U, and varied based on the partner’s serostatus, PrEP use and viral load. Although we found high rates of awareness and low levels of distrust, our study indicated that key communities remain unaware and/or skeptical of U=U.
KW - Biomedical prevention
KW - People living with HIV
KW - U=U
KW - Undetectable
KW - Viral suppression
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U2 - 10.1007/s10461-020-02990-3
DO - 10.1007/s10461-020-02990-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 32897485
AN - SCOPUS:85090471383
SN - 1090-7165
VL - 25
SP - 634
EP - 644
JO - AIDS and Behavior
JF - AIDS and Behavior
IS - 2
ER -