Table 2.

Characteristics of included peer review studies

Publication	Place of Study	Study Type	Research Aims	Population Description	Findings Specific to Women
Chan et al. (2021)	New South Wales	Quantitative	To report on the findings of the MI-EPIC study.	HIV-negative people who are Medicare ineligible, living in (or regularly visiting) NSW, and at high and ongoing risk of HIV acquisition through sexual exposure.	While the participant cohort did include women, this paper does not report on the findings specific to this population.
Chidwick et al. (2022)	National	Quantitative	1. To provide insight into the prescription of PrEP in general practice settings after its listing on the PBS. 2. To report on the sociodemographic characteristics of people who are prescribed PrEP in Australia. 3. To investigate the patterns associated with PrEP use in Australia. 4. To explore the factors associated with discontinuation and non-continuous use of PrEP.	People aged 18–74 years who had two clinical encounters during the study period at an included practice and were not diagnosed with HIV prior to 1 April 2018.	Women were more likely to have discontinued PrEP than men (OR 3.5; CI 1.1–11.7, p = 0.041) in univariable analysis although this was not sustained in multivariable analysis (aOR 2.7; CI 0.8–9.8, p = 0.113).
Dunn et al. (2022)	National	Qualitative	1. To explore the challenges PrEP presented for sexual health promotion in Australia. 2. To provide insight into how these challenges were responded to within the HIV sector.	People working in the Australian HIV health promotion sector. One participant working in the New Zealand HIV health promotion sector was also included to provide a point of comparison.	Participants noted that there has been limited consideration given to the implications of PrEP for women.
Falcão et al. (2016)	Victoria	Qualitative	To explore HIV-negative partners in heterosexual serodifferent relationships’ views about PrEP as an option for HIV prevention.	Heterosexual men and women in serodifferent relationships.	• Women were less interested in using PrEP outside conception attempts due to (1) concerns about adherence and (2) recommendations that condom use is maintained. • Women did not expect their sexual behaviour to change as a result of using PrEP.
Friedland et al. (2023)	Global	Quantitative	1. To explore which HIV and STI prevention methods women were most interested in using. 2. To investigate whether women would be interested in contraceptive Multipurpose Prevention Technologies.	Cisgender women aged 18–49 years who have had sex with a man at least once in their lifetime.	N/A article is focussed on women. Results from Australia were not disaggregated from those in United States, Europe, and Canada.
Kirby (2022)	No primary data	Opinion	In light of current strategies to end HIV transmission in Australia, this article reflects on Australia’s historic approach to the AIDS epidemic.	No primary data	Jane Costello, CEO Positive Life NSW, is quoted, stating that more support is needed for women in Australia (with regards to HIV testing, in particular).
Lane et al. (2019)	Queensland	Mixed methods	To evaluate general practitioners’ understanding of and attitudes toward PrEP for HIV prevention.	Practicing general practitioners located in Mackay, Queensland.	• Just 6.7% (n = 3) of participants reported being ‘very likely’ to prescribe PrEP to heterosexual people who had multiple partners. • No specific discussion of issues relating to PrEP for women.
Medland et al. (2023)	National	Quantitative	1. To understand how discontinuation impacts overall PrEP usage in Australia. 2. To ascertain how many PrEP users go on to discontinue in Australia. 3. To investigate the factors that might predict PrEP discontinuation in Australia.	Australian Government subsidised PrEP users.	More women had discontinued PrEP use than men (adjusted hazards ratio [aHR] 2.99; CI 2.65–3.38, p < 0.001).
Mullens et al. (2018)	Queensland	Qualitative	To describe sub-Saharan African communities in Queensland’s HIV risk status, and the potential for PrEP use in this population.	Sub-Saharan African community workers, stakeholders, and leaders.	No specific discussion of women and PrEP.
Newman et al. (2019)	National	Qualitative	To examine key stakeholder conceptualisation of disparities in access to PrEP.	Professionals working in health and social care across Australia and with HIV knowledge and experience.	Little specific discussion of women as PrEP users. Women are generally included as ‘marginalised’ populations, but no findings specific to women are presented.
Read et al. (2019)	New South Wales	Quantitative	1. To describe how people who inject drugs perceive PrEP. 2. To ascertain how willing people who inject drugs would be to begin taking PrEP, as well as their potential risk compensation.	Clients accessing services at the Kirketon Road Centre or Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre.	• Of the participants who were eligible for PrEP (injecting-related risk eligibility only; n = 9), five were female. • Women less likely than men to have heard of PrEP (31% vs. 67%, no p-value provided)
Smith et al. (2020)	National	Qualitative	1. To understand how professionals working in the HIV sector understand the mainstreaming of PrEP prescription. 2. To explore the kinds of issues that professionals believe might arise through the mainstreaming of PrEP prescription.	Professionals working across government, university, or community-based organisations in HIV-related roles.	One participant noted that if certain GPs believe that PrEP is only for gay men, female sex workers and heterosexual women might find it difficult to access PrEP.
Smith et al. (2022)	New South Wales; Western Australia	Qualitative	To consider how clinicians conceive of PrEP users and their communities.	Clinicians in New South Wales and Western Australia who prescribe or dispense PrEP.	Women factored into clinicians ‘PrEP imaginaries’ when in serodifferent heterosexual relationships, from a high HIV-prevalence background, or working in sex work.
Vaccher et al. (2016)	New South Wales	Quantitative	To evaluate the implementation of PrEP in New South Wales healthcare settings.	HIV-negative people (mainly GBM and heterosexual women) at high-risk of acquiring HIV and taking daily oral PrEP.	Heterosexual women at high-risk of HIV acquisition are eligible to participate in PRELUDE.
Vaccher et al. (2017)	New South Wales	Quantitative	To evaluate the population validity of the PRELUDE demonstration project sample in representing high-risk GBM eligible for PrEP in New South Wales.	GBM (although the study also extended to heterosexual men and women).	Just three women were included in the original study cohort. All three women were in a serodifferent relationship and wanting to conceive naturally in the next 3 months. This cohort is excluded from all analysis in the paper.
Vujcich et al. (2023)	National	Mixed methods	1. To explore Northeast Asian, Southeast Asian, and sub-Saharan African migrants’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding HIV testing and prevention. 2. To assess the barriers and opportunities surrounding HIV prevention and testing practices among Northeast Asian, Southeast Asian, and sub-Saharan African migrants.	Adults born in Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, or sub-Saharan Africa who are now living in Australia.	• Women comprised 59.1% of the sample. • PrEP knowledge was higher among men than women (19.87% vs. 12.97% respectively, p = 0.001). • HIV and blood-borne virus testing rates were lower among women than men (14.05% vs. 18.37% respectively, p = 0.050).