O-55 To PrEP or Not to PrEP - Key informant interviews regarding the initiation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Trinidad and Tobago

Methods: In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from government agencies, civil society and researchers working in the field of HIV in Trinidad and Tobago. Transcribed interviews were analysed with Qualitative Data Analysis Miner (QDA Miner), in order to identify utterances, concepts and themes.

Results: Twenty invitations were issued, and nine participants representing government agencies, research organizations, and men who have sex with men (MSM) advocacy groups were interviewed. The analysis revealed four recurring themes related to stakeholder attitudes, concerns, expectations, and the feasibility of implementing PrEP.. These themes included Social and Cultural Barriers, Knowledge and Education, Structural and Systemic Barriers, and Rights and Advocacy. Additionally, one unique theme emerged for each research objective: Health and Risk Concerns for the first objective and Implementation and Demand for the question of feasibility.

Conclusion: Many HIV stakeholders understand the need and benefit of the prophylactic drug in the country as PrEP implementation becomes more common globally and in the Caribbean. The majority of participants supported the introduction of PrEP, while acknowledging the potential barriers and considerations within the context of the country. It was concluded that the benefits of implementing PrEP would far outweigh the risks involved once strategies for monitoring and evaluation, and the dissemination of educational information surrounding PrEP are established and implemented.