Table 2.

Illustrative quotes for each individual-level theme from interviews with participants recruited from the social networks of women who have experienced incarceration in the Southeastern US, 2020.

Theme	Quotes
“I didn’t care in my addiction at all” Addiction versus recovery	Drugs, or, like, alcohol…makes you have low awareness of things, and you do things out of character that you wouldn’t necessarily do. Jessica, age 37 [If I were to start using drugs again, I would] go back to not caring about what happens [and]…probably wouldn’t use PrEP. Emily, age 22 You know your worth – it’s just pretty much higher when you’re clean and sober than it was when you’re in active addiction. David, age 53
“It’s your decision” Individual responsibility	I think it’s just something they talk to their self about or talk to…like, one individual, maybe that they have a relationship with, but it’s never really talked about, like, openly. It’s like a discreet conversation that you would have…like, a one-on-one type situation. Rachel, age 33
“They don’t feel like they’re at high risk for it” Personal risk assessment	I’m less at risk ‘cause [I’m] using protection. I know they have some kind of pill out now that you can take. I’ve heard about that, but…Yeah, that’s probably somethin’ that I would do just to be safe, you know, when I’m done at [treatment program], just ‘cause you never know what can happen to you. I know when I was doing drugs I was in pretty bad situations and some things happened. Christina, age 37 But I know, like, out there if I was, like, using or something maybe I would be more intrigued to using something like [PrEP]. Samantha, age 29
“If it’s even worth taking...” PrEP awareness and knowledge	I wouldn’t take it just because I don’t wanna have to take a-a pill every day, you know, and I don’t know the side effects of it. I don’t know enough about it to even take it. Amber, age 31 I think there might be a pill that you could take…to make you less at risk. I don’t know. Sarah, age 27 [I’d want to know] that it’s 100% sure or 99-point-whatever sure it is. (Mark, age 56) No headache, no, like, tiredness, no – I do a lot of stuff around here and the last thing I need to be is groggy. Brittany, age 25