TABLE 2.

Reasons for PrEP Discontinuation (n = 43)

Reason Category		Illustrative Quote
Systemic issues	Insurance or financial problems n = 18, 41.9%	In the meantime, obviously, I can’t take it because my insurance won’t cover it, and it’s very expensive for me.   – 33-year-old Hispanic/Latinx gay cisgender man
		My [pharmaceutical manufacturer] coupon had run out. So that hasn’t been fun. And I would really, really like to get back on PrEP again.   – 21-year-old Hispanic/Latinx gay cisgender man
		I haven’t been on [PrEP] for, like, about two months now. I spoke to someone this week…to get my insurance back reinstated…so I can try and get back on it.   – 24-year-old Hispanic/Latinx bisexual cisgender man
	Clinic or Pharmacy problems n = 15, 34.9%	I always had problems getting the prescription filled. I would show up to the pharmacy to pick it up, and it wouldn’t be ready.   – 25-year-old non-Hispanic White gay cisgender man
		The pharmacy that I got the medication prescribed at, they don’t seem to have any directions or know how to utilize the [pharmaceutical manufacturer] coupon. They say that it just doesn’t work. So I haven’t been able to refill or get the prescription from the pharmacy now that it’s been prescribed to me.   – 31-year-old non-Hispanic Black gay cisgender man
	Scheduling barriers n = 14, 32.6%	I work 12-hour shifts. It rotates days and nights. So when I try to schedule an appointment, there’s a scheduling conflict.   – 32-year-old non-Hispanic Multiracial bisexual cisgender man
		Yeah. I have to make an appointment for that, but I have to wait because I kind of used up a lot of personal sick days with my job.   – 26-year-old non-Hispanic Multiracial bisexual cisgender man
Medication Concerns	Side Effects n = 10, 23.3%	It was making me very lightheaded and dizzy. And I had to stop taking it because of that matter.   – 44-year-old non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander gay cisgender man
		It was just the first pill that I took. Probably maybe a couple of hours after. I already was apprehensive about taking it. The pill never felt like it was digested, but it felt like it was just stuck in my stomach. Like I could feel it. And I felt nauseous.   – 33-year-old Hispanic/Latinx cisgender man; “other” sexual identity
		I stopped taking it because of the risk of other potential side effects, like the buffalo hump, I think, was one, and kidney and liver damage, I think, was another.   – 20-year-old Hispanic/Latinx gay cisgender man
	Contraindications or Interactions n = 4, 9.3%	The doctor told me – I forgot what the exact two readings were -- but that it’s impacting my liver function. That it’s stressed or being attacked.   – 26-year-old non-Hispanic White gay cisgender man
		I was told that…if I use creatine it’s going to affect my health or something like that…So it’s either I continue using the PrEP or I stop the supplements. So I just stopped the PrEP, and I continued my supplements.   – 25-year-old Hispanic/Latinx gay cisgender man
	Medication Beliefs/Associations n = 3, 7.0%	I just don’t feel strongly that preventative medicine is necessary or that it is beneficial for our bodies to be putting something in my system that would prevent the potential infection of a disease that I didn’t have nor had contracted.   – 27-year-old non-Hispanic White queer cisgender man
		[I plan to] take some time off from it, because it’s kind of stressful. Even though it’s only once a day, it made me feel like an old person or a sickly person. So I was like, it’s too much.   – 22-year old non-Hispanic Multiracial bisexual cisgender man
Behavioral Factors	Low perceived PrEP relevance n = 14, 32.6%	Yes, I did stop overall taking it. I still have it at home, but, you know, there’s no need for us because we’re not -- you know, we’re mono. We’re just together. We’re not out there exploring. So he doesn’t take it and neither do I, and we’re 100 percent, you know, clean, so we decided not to go ahead and continue taking it.   – 36-year-old Hispanic/Latinx bisexual cisgender man
		I decided that I don’t want to engage in hook-ups anymore, so I don’t have any more apps, I deleted them all, and…I’m not active sexually right now. So there is no point to be taking it every day, so I’m not going to continue.   – 39-year-old Hispanic/Latinx bisexual cisgender man
	Concerns about disinhibition n = 2, 4.7%	I felt like it would just allow me to engage in unhealthy behavior; I definitely opened up some of those doors for myself. And, you know, we are our own masters and I do believe that, and so I, you know -- I don’t blame PrEP or my use of PrEP for the choices I was making. I just know that for myself, having that crutch of a medication like that was taking me down directions that I didn’t need to be going down. So I ended up stopping it after a month, and then I haven’t been on it since, nor do I have any desire to.   – 27-year-old non-Hispanic White queer cisgender man