Despite HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) being added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) in April 2018, 18-to-25-year gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) continue to experience higher rates of HIV infection than older gbMSM.
Identifying as a young gay, bisexual man, or being a man who has sex with men in a regional or rural community can be challenging. Researchers at Charles Sturt University want you to assist them in improving your access to PrEP in regional and rural areas, by participating in their research.
They want to know about the barriers you have experienced in accessing PrEP, as well as the things which have allowed you to access PrEP – they want to hear the good and the bad.
Your participation in this research allows them to understand access to PrEP in regional and rural communities, allowing them to assist in virtually eliminating HIV transmission in young men and the broader community by 2030 so that the next generation of young gbMSM do not have to experience living with HIV.
To participate in this project, you need to meet the following criteria:
- Live in a regional, rural, or remote area in New South Wales.
- Be aged 18 to 25 years.
- Have been assigned male sex at birth.
- Self-identify as gay or bisexual, or you are a man who has sex with men (you identify as heterosexual).
- Are willing to complete a (up to) 10-minute online survey.
- You do not need to be taking PrEP to participate.
The study is being led by Dr Brian Sengstock from the School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences at Charles Sturt University with some members of the research team having lived experience in the queer community, and access to health care in both regional and rural settings.
If you’re interested in participating in the study, please complete the online survey.
Any information that you provide through the survey is completely anonymous – you cannot be identified or ‘outed’ by participating in the research.