1. Knowledge and barriers of PrEP delivery among diverse groups of potential PrEP users in Central Uganda
- Author
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Elly Katabira, Jessica E. Haberer, Peter Kyambadde, Connie Celum, Felix Bambia, Timothy R Muwonge, Renee Heffron, Monica Bagaya, Jared M. Baeten, Charles Brown, Andrew Mujugira, Rogers Nsubuga, and Agnes Nakyanzi
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ,medicine.medical_specialty ,HIV exposure ,Science ,education ,Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ,Administration, Oral ,Stigma (botany) ,HIV Infections ,medicine.disease_cause ,Health Services Accessibility ,Men who have sex with men ,03 medical and health sciences ,Pre-exposure prophylaxis ,0302 clinical medicine ,Surveys and Questionnaires ,Emtricitabine ,Humans ,Medicine ,Uganda ,030212 general & internal medicine ,Tenofovir ,030505 public health ,Multidisciplinary ,business.industry ,Family medicine ,Facilitator ,Serodiscordant ,Patient Compliance ,Female ,Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis ,0305 other medical science ,business ,Demand creation ,Research Article - Abstract
BackgroundScale-up of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention in Uganda began with serodiscordant couples (SDC) and has expanded to other most at-risk populations (MARPs). We explored knowledge, acceptability, barriers and facilitators of PrEP use among potential PrEP users in four MARPs (SDC; men who have sex with men [MSM]; female sex workers [FSW], and fisher folk).MethodsWe administered quantitative surveys to potential PrEP users in multiple settings in Central Uganda at baseline and approximately 9 months after healthcare worker (HCW) training on PrEP.ResultsThe survey was completed by 250 potential PrEP users at baseline and 125 after HCW training; 55 completed both surveys. For these 250 participants, mean age was 28.5 years (SD 6.9), 47% were male and 6% were transgender women, with approximately even distribution across MARPs and recruitment locations (urban, peri-urban, and rural). Most (65%) had not heard about PrEP. After HCW training, 24% of those sampled were aware of PrEP, and the proportion of those who accurately described PrEP as "antiretrovirals to be used before HIV exposure" increased from 54% in the baseline survey to 74% in the second survey (pConclusionsInitial awareness of PrEP was low, but PrEP knowledge and interest increased among diverse MARPs after HCW training. Demand creation and HCW training will be critical for increasing PrEP awareness among key populations, with support to overcome barriers to PrEP use. These findings should encourage the acceleration of PrEP rollout in Uganda.
- Published
- 2020