2024 Incentive Grant Recipient: Kaitlyn Queen, PharmD
Project Proposal: College students’ perceptions and barriers to accessing Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for prevention of HIV Transmission
Kaitlyn Queen is a PGY1 Pharmacy Resident with her alma mater, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and UNC Campus Health in Chapel Hill, NC.
"When we know what barriers prevent patients from accessing PrEP, we can begin to improve current services and policies to ensure college students no longer face those barriers alone and contribute to the end of HIV together."
"Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is one of the greatest advancements in the fight against HIV, however it is often underutilized in the young adult population. This disparity in care and access inspired me to explore what the specific barriers to accessing PrEP are for young adults and determine what my site could do to improve our clinical services to help patients overcome these barriers. I believe that pharmacists are the most accessible medical provider, are uniquely trained and positioned to assist patients overcome barriers to PrEP, and play a foundational role in ending the HIV endemic."
"I am truly honored to receive an incentive grant and thankful for the opportunity to conduct this research. I am eager to see early patient responses and feel confident that the results of this project will not only improve the quality of patient care at my site but will enable other college health systems to improve PrEP access at their institutions and reveal how beneficial having pharmacist-prescribed PrEP and PEP services can be for reducing barriers to care for patients."