Abstract

Young Black and Latino men who have sex with men (BLMSM) continue to bear the heaviest burden of new HIV infections, despite the availability Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). Current research shows a clear disparity but struggles to untangle how factors, such as housing instability and medical mistrust, interact to prevent uptake and retention. This pilot project leverages a novel data analysis method called causal discovery to map these pathways using rich longitudinal data from the Healthy Young Men’s cohort. We aim to determine the causal architecture leading to PrEP nonuse and discontinuation and identify barriers that may be circumvented through long-acting injectable PrEP. This collaboration between Washington University and the City of St. Louis Department of Health aims to provide insight for recommendations to increase PrEP use and retention among those with indications for it.