Increase in HIV PrEP provision for adolescents between 2018 and 2021

From 2018 to 2021, there was an increase in HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) provision among adolescents, especially among male and older adolescents, according to a study published online Oct. 30 in Pediatrics.

Anne A. Kimball, M.D., M.P.H., from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues examined trends in adolescents prescribed PrEP during 2018 through 2021. In addition, the characteristics of adolescents and their PrEP providers were examined.

The researchers found that despite decreases in 2020, there was a 76.2% increase in the number of adolescents prescribed PrEP from 2018 to 2021 (estimated annual percentage change, 18.0%). Increases were seen in all sex and age groups, with larger increases among older adolescents aged 18 to 19 years. Of the 6,444 adolescents prescribed PrEP in 2021, 82.6 and 87.8% were male and were aged 18 to 19 years, respectively. Overall, 29.6% of the 2,455 physician PrEP providers were pediatricians, with varying specialty distributions seen by adolescent age group. Two-thirds (67.7%) of the 217 pediatricians who prescribed PrEP to adolescents aged 13 to 17 years were general pediatricians.

"Increases in the number of adolescents prescribed PrEP are encouraging, but also highlight opportunities for improvement," the authors write. "Our findings can provide a baseline for monitoring future trends toward wider and more equitable PrEP provision."