Framing HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for the General Public: How Inclusive Messaging May Prevent Prejudice from Diminishing Public Support

Strategic framing of public messages about HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may influence public support for policies and programs affecting access. 

This survey study examined how public attitudes toward PrEP differed based on the social group PrEP was described as benefiting ("beneficiary") and the moderating effect of prejudice. Members of the general public (n = 154) recruited online were randomly assigned to three beneficiary conditions: general population, gay men, or Black gay men. 

All participants received identical PrEP background information before completing measures of PrEP attitudes (specifying beneficiary), racism, and heterosexism. 

Despite anticipating greater PrEP adherence among gay men and Black gay men and perceiving PrEP as especially beneficial to the latter, participants expressed lower support for policies/programs making PrEP affordable for these groups vs. the general population. This disparity in support was stronger among participants reporting greater prejudice. 

Inclusive framing of PrEP in public discourse may prevent prejudice from undermining implementation efforts.

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By:  Calabrese SK1,2, Underhill K3,4, Earnshaw VA3,5, Hansen NB3,6, Kershaw TS7,3, Magnus M8, Krakower DS9,10, Mayer KH9,10, Betancourt JR11, Dovidio JF3,12.

• 1Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, 135 College Street, Suite 358, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA. sarah.calabrese@yale.edu.
• 2Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. sarah.calabrese@yale.edu.
• 3Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
• 4Yale Law School, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
• 5Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
• 6Department of Health Promotion and Behavior, College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
• 7Department of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, Yale University, 135 College Street, Suite 358, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA.
• 8Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
• 9Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
• 10The Fenway Institute, Fenway Health, Boston, MA, USA.
• 11Disparities Solutions Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
• 12Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA. 
• AIDS Behav. 2016 Feb 19. 

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