J Clin Gynecol Obstet

Journal of Clinical Gynecology and Obstetrics, ISSN 1927-1271 print, 1927-128X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Gynecol Obstet and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://jcgo.elmerpub.com

Short Communication

Volume 15, Number 2, June 2026, pages 69-72

Awareness Without Counseling: Missed Opportunities for Clinical Communication on Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis of Reproductive Age Females in the USA

↓ **Table 1.** Demographics by Survey Year
	2017–2019 (n = 6,141)	2022–2023 (n = 5,586)	P
CI: confidence interval.
Age (years), mean (CI)	32.1 (31.7–32.6)	31.8 (31.5–32.2)	0.28
Race/ethnicity, n (weighted %)			0.52
Hispanic	1,711 (20.8%)	1,232 (21.6%)
Non-Hispanic White	2,704 (55.6%)	2,789 (52.6%)
Non-Hispanic Black	1,191 (13.5%)	844 (13.1%)
Non-Hispanic other or multiple	535 (10.1%)	721 (12.7%)
Religious affiliation, n (weighted %)			0.0002
No religion	1,571 (27.4%)	1,955 (35.4%)
Catholic	1,366 (20.5%)	979 (17.7%)
Protestant	2,725 (43.9%)	2,106 (36.6%)
Other	479 (8.1%)	546 (10.3%)
Cash public assistance, n (weighted %)			0.0003
Yes	561 (7.0%)	332 (5.6%)
No	5,328 (89.6%)	4,877 (89.1%)
Poverty level, mean (CI)	277.1 (263.8–290.3)	316.4 (301.2–331.5)	0.0002
Current Health Insurance, n (weighted %)			0.11
Private or Medi-Gap	3,462 (63.7%)	3,374 (60.3%)
Medicaid, CHIP, state plan	1,545 (19.5%)	1,218 (22.1%)
Medicare, military	293 (4.7%)	382 (6.4%)
Single-service, IHS, or uncovered	841 (12.1%)	612 (11.1%)
Live births	2.0 (1.9–2.1)	2.0 (1.9–2.0)	0.92
Miscarriages	0.6 (0.5–0.6)	0.5 (0.5–0.6)	0.19
Abortions	0.3 (0.2–0.3)	0.2 (0.2–0.3)	0.72
Married, n (weighted %)
Married	1,913 (38.9%)	2,060 (39.2%)	0.005
Cohabiting	754 (13.9%)	627 (11.9%)
Widowed	33 (0.6%)	24 (0.4%)
Divorced	410 (5.7%)	283 (4.5%)
Separated	200 (2.3%)	94 (1.6%)
Never married	2,831 (38.5%)	2,498 (42.5%)
Education
Less than high school, n (weighted %)	1,168 (15.5%)	792 (16.0%)	0.69
High school or greater, n (weighted %)	4,973 (84.5%)	4,794 (84.0%)

↓ Table 1. Demographics by Survey Year

2017–2019 (n = 6,141)

2022–2023 (n = 5,586)

CI: confidence interval.

Age (years), mean (CI)

32.1 (31.7–32.6)

31.8 (31.5–32.2)

0.28

Race/ethnicity, n (weighted %)

0.52

Hispanic

1,711 (20.8%)

1,232 (21.6%)

Non-Hispanic White

2,704 (55.6%)

2,789 (52.6%)

Non-Hispanic Black

1,191 (13.5%)

844 (13.1%)

Non-Hispanic other or multiple

535 (10.1%)

721 (12.7%)

Religious affiliation, n (weighted %)

0.0002

No religion

1,571 (27.4%)

1,955 (35.4%)

Catholic

1,366 (20.5%)

979 (17.7%)

Protestant

2,725 (43.9%)

2,106 (36.6%)

Other

479 (8.1%)

546 (10.3%)

Cash public assistance, n (weighted %)

0.0003

Yes

561 (7.0%)

332 (5.6%)

5,328 (89.6%)

4,877 (89.1%)

Poverty level, mean (CI)

277.1 (263.8–290.3)

316.4 (301.2–331.5)

0.0002

Current Health Insurance, n (weighted %)

0.11

Private or Medi-Gap

3,462 (63.7%)

3,374 (60.3%)

Medicaid, CHIP, state plan

1,545 (19.5%)

1,218 (22.1%)

Medicare, military

293 (4.7%)

382 (6.4%)

Single-service, IHS, or uncovered

841 (12.1%)

612 (11.1%)

Live births

2.0 (1.9–2.1)

2.0 (1.9–2.0)

0.92

Miscarriages

0.6 (0.5–0.6)

0.5 (0.5–0.6)

0.19

Abortions

0.3 (0.2–0.3)

0.2 (0.2–0.3)

0.72

Married, n (weighted %)

Married

1,913 (38.9%)

2,060 (39.2%)

0.005

Cohabiting

754 (13.9%)

627 (11.9%)

Widowed

33 (0.6%)

24 (0.4%)

Divorced

410 (5.7%)

283 (4.5%)

Separated

200 (2.3%)

94 (1.6%)

Never married

2,831 (38.5%)

2,498 (42.5%)

Education

Less than high school, n (weighted %)

1,168 (15.5%)

792 (16.0%)

0.69

High school or greater, n (weighted %)

4,973 (84.5%)

4,794 (84.0%)

↓ **Table 2.** Shifts in Patient Awareness and Behaviors Between 2017 and 2023
	2017–2019	2022–2023	2022–2023	2017–2019 vs. 2022–2023 OR, P-value
Data are presented as weighted percentage (CI)/OR (CI). CI: confidence interval; OR: odds ratio; PrEP: pre-exposure prophylaxis.
Aware of PrEP (n = 11,661)	31.8% (28.8–35.0%)	36.6% (34.3–38.9%)	24.9% (21.4–28.8%) 0.46 (0.36–0.58)	42.0% (38.8–45.4%) ref	42.0% (37.6–46.5%) 1.00 (0.80–1.24)	28.2% (23.9–32.9%) 0.54 (0.42–0.69)	1.24 (1.04–1.47) P = 0.02
Counseled by provider on PrEP (n = 11,727)	5.2% (4.3–6.3%)	4.8% (4.0–5.7%)	4.4% (3.2–6.1%) 1.25 (0.81–1.91)	3.6% (2.7–4.6%) ref	10.4% (6.9–15.5%) 3.16 (1.83–5.44)	4.8% (3.2–7.0%) 1.35 (0.84–2.17)	0.91 (0.70–1.19) P = 0.49
Birth control visit in last 12 months (n = 11,670)	21.2% (19.9–23.6%)	19.7% (18.4–21.0%)	16.1% (13.8–18.9%) 0.64 (0.52–0.80)	23.1% (21.0–25.3%) ref	18.4% (15.4–21.9%) 0.75 (0.58–0.98)	12.7% (9.7–16.3%) 0.48 (0.35–0.67)	0.89 (0.77–1.02) P = 0.09
Prenatal care in last 12 months (n = 873)	68.9% (62.3–74.8%)	75.4% (69.5–80.5%)	71.9% (59.8–81.5%) 0.57 (0.29–1.12)	81.9% (75.2–87.0%) ref	63.5% (46.0–78.0%) 0.38 (0.18–0.81)	71.1% (48.2–86.7%) 0.55 (0.21-1.45)	1.39 (0.91–2.11) P = 0.12
Current contraception (n = 11,727)	45.0% (42.9–47.2%)	42.1% (40.2–44.0%)	40.6% (37.4–44.0%) 0.87 (0.73–1.03)	44.1% (41.2–47.0%) ref	37.8% (34.4–41.4%) 0.77 (0.63–0.94)	40.7% (37.0–44.6%) 0.87 (0.73–1.05)	0.89 (0.79–1.00) P = 0.04
Current prescription contraception (n = 11,727)	29.5% (27.2–32.0%)	26.8% (25.4–28.4%)	24.5% (21.8–27.5%) 0.74 (0.61–0.89)	30.7% (28.2–33.2%) ref	21.2% (18.2–24.5%) 0.61 (0.48–0.77)	20.8% (18.2–23.7%) 0.60 (0.48–0.75)	0.87 (0.76–1.00) P = 0.06

↓ Table 2. Shifts in Patient Awareness and Behaviors Between 2017 and 2023

2017–2019

2022–2023

2017–2019 vs. 2022–2023 OR, P-value

Hispanic

White non-Hispanic

Black non-Hispanic

Other non-Hispanic

Data are presented as weighted percentage (CI)/OR (CI). CI: confidence interval; OR: odds ratio; PrEP: pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Aware of PrEP (n = 11,661)

31.8% (28.8–35.0%)

36.6% (34.3–38.9%)

24.9% (21.4–28.8%)
0.46 (0.36–0.58)

42.0% (38.8–45.4%)
ref

42.0% (37.6–46.5%)
1.00 (0.80–1.24)

28.2% (23.9–32.9%)
0.54 (0.42–0.69)

1.24 (1.04–1.47)
P = 0.02

Counseled by provider on PrEP (n = 11,727)

5.2% (4.3–6.3%)

4.8% (4.0–5.7%)

4.4% (3.2–6.1%)
1.25 (0.81–1.91)

3.6% (2.7–4.6%)
ref

10.4% (6.9–15.5%) 3.16 (1.83–5.44)

4.8% (3.2–7.0%)
1.35 (0.84–2.17)

0.91 (0.70–1.19)
P = 0.49

Birth control visit in last 12 months (n = 11,670)

21.2% (19.9–23.6%)

19.7% (18.4–21.0%)

16.1% (13.8–18.9%)
0.64 (0.52–0.80)

23.1% (21.0–25.3%)
ref

18.4% (15.4–21.9%)
0.75 (0.58–0.98)

12.7% (9.7–16.3%)
0.48 (0.35–0.67)

0.89 (0.77–1.02)
P = 0.09

Prenatal care in last 12 months (n = 873)

68.9% (62.3–74.8%)

75.4% (69.5–80.5%)

71.9% (59.8–81.5%)
0.57 (0.29–1.12)

81.9% (75.2–87.0%)
ref

63.5% (46.0–78.0%)
0.38 (0.18–0.81)

71.1% (48.2–86.7%)
0.55 (0.21-1.45)

1.39 (0.91–2.11)
P = 0.12

Current contraception (n = 11,727)

45.0% (42.9–47.2%)

42.1% (40.2–44.0%)

40.6% (37.4–44.0%)
0.87 (0.73–1.03)

44.1% (41.2–47.0%)
ref

37.8% (34.4–41.4%)
0.77 (0.63–0.94)

40.7% (37.0–44.6%)
0.87 (0.73–1.05)

0.89 (0.79–1.00)
P = 0.04

Current prescription contraception (n = 11,727)

29.5% (27.2–32.0%)

26.8% (25.4–28.4%)

24.5% (21.8–27.5%)
0.74 (0.61–0.89)

30.7% (28.2–33.2%)
ref

21.2% (18.2–24.5%)
0.61 (0.48–0.77)

20.8% (18.2–23.7%)
0.60 (0.48–0.75)

0.87 (0.76–1.00)
P = 0.06