“PrEP is always on the table”: mixed methods study of provider willingness to refer/link clients to PrEP in community sexual health and drug use-related programs

Southern U.S. communities experience high HIV incidence and substance use prevalence, yet low PrEP uptake. Providers (N = 191) completed a survey about willingness to refer/link clients with HIV risk to PrEP. Through in-depth interviews, 12 directors (5 sexually transmitted infection [STI] clinics; 5 syringe services programs [SSPs]; 2 substance use treatment programs [SUTPs]) described multi-level factors that contextualized provider willingness. Providers were more willing to refer/link clients with unspecified HIV risk and men who have sex with men to PrEP vs. other populations. SUTP (vs. SSP) providers were less willing to refer/link clients with unspecified risk and men who use opioids. Older (vs. younger) providers were less willing, and more (vs. less) experienced providers more willing to refer/link to PrEP. Directors described facilitators (e.g., comprehensive health center partnerships) and barriers (e.g., provider stigma toward people who use drugs) to PrEP implementation. Findings highlight the importance of considering multi-level factors in PrEP implementation.