My PrEP Story: Want to tell yours? :)

If you’d like to write a contribution for PrEPster’s My PrEP Story blog then read on! 

Why are we doing the blogs?

We know from previous PrEP and HIV drug trials that participant blogs can help bring new people into trials and studies – as well as shaping future policy after a trial (i.e. getting full roll out of PrEP). If you’re on – or have been on – IMPACT, DISCOVER, PROUD or any other PrEP trial then tell us about your experience!

We know that hearing about people’s personal experiences helps others navigate using PrEP. Have you bought PrEP online? Have you started and stopped using PrEP? What has happened to your sex life since you started using PrEP? How have other people responded? Did you get side effects – and how did you deal with them?

We know that stories of people who have been central to the fight for PrEP can empower other people to take action – around HIV and other health and equality issues. Have you been involved in PrEP research? Are you an educator, health care provider, outreach worker? Have you helped a partner, friend or family member access PrEP? Are you living with HIV and seen the impact of PrEP on you or those around you?

We want to hear your story!

Helping you do you blog

We want to make it as easy as possible for you to take part in the blogs – so if you’re not someone who likes writing and/or would prefer to work directly with one of the team at PrEPster to do editing or structuring your blogs then that’s cool.

Keeping it personal

So we don’t end up with blogs that are all the same, think about a focus for your blog. For example, last year one of us went in for appendix surgery and could’ve written about having to educate the hospital staff about PrEP use. Is there something about taking PrEP and sex work, for example; or PrEP and another long-term health issues; are you from a particular community where PrEP is or isn’t being talked about? Having a local slant is also good.

Once, twice, three times!

We’re happy to have one blog from you that tells a particular story in time. Even better – a series of blogs that build on each other over time. If you’re doing more than one, it’s a good plan to think about what each might cover.  For example, if you’re in the IMPACT Trial your first blog might focus on why you wanted to start on the Trial; experiences of enrolling (any key hints on others who might be trying to enrol?); any starting issues (side effects anyone? How did you deal with them?). Then in future blogs you might want to move onto issues such as: interactions with other drugs; impact on sex; telling other people; any reactions from other health professionals; returning for follow up clinic visits.

Keeping it focused

We’d like the blog to be personal, concise (about 500 words per blog), and solution focused. So, if you’ve had an issue with PrEP use disclosure, or a clinic, or getting on a trial – what did you do or what support did you get to address it?

Keeping it real

Our preference is for the blogs to NOT be anonymous – we’re trying to promote open and proud discussions about PrEP and sex and sexual health. So, ideally we’d like, where possible, to include a photo of you and your real name (we’ll link to your social media with your permission but understand that some people won’t want this). 

However, we also understand why it won’t be possible for some people to blog unless they use an alias. In which case, it might be useful to include in the first blog a mention of why it’s not easy to talk about PrEP in your community or if there are issues with family, friends etc.

Want to get involved? Email hello@prepster.info to jump on-board! We can’t pay for blog contributions but we will send you a PrEPster goodie pack.