# Puerto Rico PrEParado: Increasing PrEP uptake among sexual minority men in Puerto Rico

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MED SCIENCES · 2021 · $350,000

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) use among sexual minority men (SMM) in Puerto Rico is notably low. Although
PrEP awareness and uptake continue to increase around the United States (US), large proportions of SMM at
increased risk for HIV in Puerto Rico are still unaware of PrEP as an HIV prevention strategy. Expanding the use
of PrEP to underserved populations and optimizing PrEP delivery is one of the key strategies of the Ending the
HIV Epidemic Initiative (EHE), as evidence has shown a significant association between PrEP uptake and a
decline in HIV incidence. Nonetheless, PrEP implementation faces many barriers including awareness and
acceptability among potential users and health care providers. In order to fill the research gap aimed to
understand and reduce the barriers to achieve PrEP Uptake among a high impacted group (SMM) and in
response to the call of the EHE, we propose the following aims: 1) to systematically assess the barriers and
facilitators for the linkages between HIV testing and PrEP awareness and uptake in HIV/STI clinics in Puerto
Rico; 2) to develop Puerto Rico PrEParado, a policy intervention for HIV/STI testing clinics to optimize PrEP
uptake among SMM; and 3) to pilot the Puerto Rico PrEParado policy intervention in one HIV/STI testing clinic
to assess implementation outcomes and the potential impact on PrEP uptake among SMM in Puerto Rico.
Results and findings from this research will help advance the EHE efforts to improve the access to PrEP among
SMM in Puerto Rico and other Latino populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10285681
- **Project number:** 1U01PS005213-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO MED SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Edda Ivette Santiago Rodríguez
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $350,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-06-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10285681

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10285681, Puerto Rico PrEParado: Increasing PrEP uptake among sexual minority men in Puerto Rico (1U01PS005213-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10285681. Licensed CC0.

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