Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention in Those with Substance Use Disorders

Volume 8 Issue 2 May - July 2018

Research Paper

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention in Those with Substance Use Disorders

Nancy Goldstein*, Jared Carter-Davis**, Ellen C. Seymour***

* Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

**-*** Graduate Student, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Goldstein,N., Davis,J,C., and Seymour,E.C .(2018). Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention in Those with Substance Use Disorders.i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 8(2),7-13. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.8.2.14022

Abstract

In 2012, Truvada, the medication used for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use as human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) prevention by those at high-risk of viral acquisition through sexual practices. Since then, it has been found to be an effective prevention modality for multiple high-risk populations, including those with Substance Use Disorders (SUD), yet most of the research on PrEP has focused on use among men who have sex with men. In an effort to consolidate the existing evidence on PrEP use among those with SUD, a systematic review was performed and areas of established insight, in addition to those in which such insight is lacking, were identified. The present study is a systematic review of publications related to both HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and substance use disorder. It was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta- Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

A total of 107 distinct articles were extracted from three databases and 11 articles were selected for final review based on criteria designed to meet the objectives of the study. Eleven studies (five cross-sectional, three qualitative, two literature reviews, and one commentary) were ultimately selected as the most relevant evidence on the topic to date. Numerous gaps exist in the literature, including a lack of research on the implementation of PrEP uptake initiatives in the context of a SUD treatment center. Further research is needed to examine the efficacy of the different methodologies for expanding PrEP access in such settings.