Influencing Factors for the Acceptability of Accessing HIV Pre‐exposure Prophylaxis via Community Pharmacies in Wales

Bibliographic Data

ID19508400
AuthorsDavid Gillespie (0000-0002-6934-2928, Centre for Trials Research, School of Medicine, College of Biomedical & Life Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UK, corresponding author), Adam Dale Newman Williams (0000-0002-4825-8997, Cardiff University), Richard Ma (0000-0001-6877-2785, Centre for Academic Primary Care, Bristol Medical School University of Bristol Bristol UK), Zoë Couzens (Public Health Wales NHS Trust Cardiff UK), Kerenza Hood (0000-0002-5268-8631, Centre for Trials Research, School of Medicine, College of Biomedical & Life Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UK), Dyfrig Hughes (0000-0001-8247-7459, Centre for Health Economics and Medicines Evaluation Bangor University Bangor UK), Efi Mantzourani (0000-0002-6313-1409, School of Pharmacy, College of Biomedical & Life Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UK), Eleanor Cochrane (0000-0001-8640-6455, Health Education and Improvement Wales Cardiff UK), F Wood (0000-0001-7397-4074, Division of Population Medicine and PRIME Centre Wales, School of Medicine, College of Biomedical & Life Sciences Cardiff University Cardiff UK)
Year2025
Volume28
Issue2
Pagese70247-e70247
Publication date2025-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Expectations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1369-6513 • E-ISSN: 1369-7625
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/hex.70247
PMID40181658
OpenAlexW4409182223
LanguageEN
References cited15

INTRODUCTION: HIV prevention methods, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), have been a significant contributing factor to a global decline in HIV transmission. PrEP has been available through the NHS in Wales since 2017. However, access is exclusively via sexual health clinics, and those accessing PrEP do not reflect those being diagnosed with HIV. Widening access beyond sexual health clinics may be one approach to encourage more equitable uptake, and there is growing interest in offering PrEP services in community pharmacies. We, therefore, aimed to explore the acceptability of PrEP services being delivered through community pharmacies among prospective service users. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative interview study of people living in Wales who either (i) currently access, (ii) previously accessed or are (iii) considering accessing PrEP via a sexual health clinic. Participants were recruited via community networks, and interviews were conducted virtually. Our topic guide was informed by Levesque's conceptual framework of access to healthcare, and we used reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS: We interviewed 24 participants and included data from 20 in the analysis. Four themes were generated: experiences of accessing PrEP via sexual health clinics, the prospect of PrEP access via community pharmacies, other community settings in which PrEP may be accessed and concerns around integrated healthcare and healthcare data. CONCLUSION: PrEP access via community pharmacy is likely to be an acceptable option for people. There are uncertainties surrounding what a PrEP service would look like in a community pharmacy setting, and this would need clarifying to prospective users to increase the salience of access. PATIENT AND PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: A team-based approach was taken for developing the topic guide and agreeing on the codes for this study. This included people with lived experience of accessing PrEP in Wales

Environmental health · Family medicine · Health care · Men who have sex with men · Political science · Population · Pre-exposure prophylaxis · Qualitative research · Reproductive health · Sexual health clinic · Sociology · Thematic analysis · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Nursing · Sex work and related issues · Pharmacy