Understanding Preferences for Doxycycline Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (doxyPEP) for STI Prevention in Australia: A Discrete Choice Experiment (DoxyChoice)

The primary purpose of this research is to understand what matters most to key populations when deciding whether or not to use doxycycline after sex (doxyPEP) to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The DoxyChoice Study is an anonymous, voluntary online survey coordinated by the Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (MSHC) and Monash University. The methodology employed is a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE), which involves presenting participants with hypothetical doxyPEP options defined by various features (attributes). These key attributes include Cost, Effectiveness, Coverage of STI, Accessibility, Side effects, and Risk of Antibiotic Resistance. The study targets men who have sex with men (MSM), or trans and gender-diverse people who have sex with men, aged 18 years or older, living in Australia. The research findings are intended to guide clinical practice, public health messaging, and policy development concerning doxyPEP implementation in Australia. This project was co-designed in collaboration with the consumer associations ACON and Thorne Harbour Health.