Young people face significant barriers to PrEP, including limited access to comprehensive sex education, sexual health services, youth-friendly providers, and accurate information about HIV prevention.

These barriers can affect whether young people know their HIV status, understand their HIV prevention options, or perceive PrEP as relevant to them. HIV stigma can also make it harder for young people to seek testing, prevention services, and care.

In 2025, 64% of all PrEP users were between ages 25 and 44. Teenagers and young adults ages 13 to 24 had the greatest unmet need for PrEP among all age groups, with the lowest PrEP-to-Need Ratio. People ages 13 to 24 made up only 10% of all PrEP users in 2025, despite accounting for 18% of new HIV diagnoses in 2024.

The PrEP-to-Need Ratio among people ages 13 to 24 was 9.18, meaning there were approximately nine PrEP users for every new HIV diagnosis among people in that age group. In comparison, the PnR was highest among people ages 65 and older at 22.12, further underscoring the gap in PrEP equity for young people.