Experiences with Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Service Delivery and Use Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (Agyw) in Routine Primary Care Settings, South Africa

Dados Bibliográficos

ID15333760
AutoresCatherine Martin (0000-0003-4525-3098, University of the Witwatersrand, autor correspondente), Catherine E Martin (0000-0002-8177-1944), Lorrein Shamiso Muhwava (0000-0001-8585-0693, University of the Witwatersrand), Siphokazi Dada (0000-0001-6170-4763, University of the Witwatersrand), F Scorgie (0000-0003-2560-8234, University of the Witwatersrand), Saiqa Mullick (0000-0001-7039-1949, University of the Witwatersrand)
Ano2025
Volume29
Fascículo4
Páginas1216-1227
Data de publicação2025-01-09
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoAIDS and Behavior (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1090-7165 • E-ISSN: 1573-3254
EditoraSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s10461-024-04596-5
PMID39779628
OpenAlexW4406161400
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas5
Referências citadas25

In South Africa, oral PrEP was included in national guidelines as part of a combination HIV prevention package for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in 2017. Understanding their experiences of accessing and using PrEP is necessary to evaluate and improve PrEP service delivery approaches. This descriptive study explored AGYW's knowledge and understanding of PrEP, their experiences and influences on PrEP access and use in real world settings in South Africa. We conducted 44 in-depth interviews with female PrEP users (15-24 years) enrolled in Project PrEP. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed for analysis using thematic analysis procedures. Participants reported positive experiences and overall satisfaction with accessing health services (i.e., youth-friendly clinic spaces, friendly and non-judgemental staff, privacy during consultations). Distance from the clinic, long queues, negative provider attitudes, and occasional stock-outs were key health service barriers to accessing PrEP. Individual motivating factors to continued PrEP use included creating daily pilltaking routines and the goal to remain HIV negative, while barriers included pill fatigue, frequent clinic visits, and side-effects. Positive relationships with partners and family facilitated disclosure of PrEP use, while stigma was identified as a community barrier to accessing PrEP services. Our study highlights AGYWs' experiences with PrEP access and use in a real-world setting. Facilitators and barriers identified in this study can be leveraged to strengthen efforts to support young women and ensure effective PrEP use. The findings also contribute to the development of appropriate service delivery

Family medicine · Health psychology · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV · Men who have sex with men · Pre-exposure prophylaxis · Public health · Qualitative research · Service (business · Service delivery framework · Service provider · Thematic analysis · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · Medicine · Nursing · Sex work and related issues