Understanding the acceptability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention amongst gay and bisexual men in Scotland: a mixed methods study

PrEP is highly effective if taken regularly and was made available in the US in 2012. While PrEP is not currently available through most other national health systems, there is considerable interest in its efficacy and roll-out. Here we present mixed methods data to explore the awareness and acceptability of PrEP amongst gay and bisexual men in Scotland. We employed concurrent mixed methods data collection and analysis, followed by sequential data analysis. Firstly, exploratory qualitative data (4 focus groups (FG) of convenience samples of MSM (n=22) were analysed thematically. Secondly, quantitative cross-sectional survey data (n=929, recruited via online social media) were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Finally, in-depth interviews with MSM (n=20) were consulted to further elucidate key findings. Both samples included HIV positive, negative and untested participants.