DC CFAR investigator, Sarah Calabrese, PhD, along with her colleagues, has published an article in the Journal of the International AIDS Society entitled, "Prevention paradox: Medical students are less inclined to prescribe HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for patients in highest need".
This article discusses a study that examined the question of low prescription rates of PrEP, despite healthcare provider's growing awareness of PrEP. The researchers looked at how medical students' willingness to prescribe PrEP varied by patent's condom use and partnering practices. They also assessed the perceived acceptability of carious reasons for condom discontinuation with PrEP. Findings included that willingness to prescribe risk was not aligned with patient risk, with significantly fewer participants willing to prescribe for a patient with multiple partners versus a single partner, regardless of condom usage. The researchers concluded that the medical students' clinical judgments were misaligned with patient risk and suggest misconceptions or personal values may undermine provision of optimal HIV prevention services.
Click here to read the full article.