PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy.

Pregnant young women who exchange sex for money or commodities are at elevated biological and social risk for HIV acquisition. PrEP serves as an effective means of HIV prevention, including during pregnancy. This study aimed to explore attitudes, experiences and challenges with PrEP to understand wh...

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Main Authors: Shivali Joshi, Catherine Namuddu, Francis Xavier Kasujja, Miriam Mirembe, Jaco Homsy, Janet Seeley, Rachel King
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLOS Global Public Health
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0000434&type=printable
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author Shivali Joshi
Catherine Namuddu
Francis Xavier Kasujja
Miriam Mirembe
Jaco Homsy
Janet Seeley
Rachel King
author_facet Shivali Joshi
Catherine Namuddu
Francis Xavier Kasujja
Miriam Mirembe
Jaco Homsy
Janet Seeley
Rachel King
author_sort Shivali Joshi
collection DOAJ
description Pregnant young women who exchange sex for money or commodities are at elevated biological and social risk for HIV acquisition. PrEP serves as an effective means of HIV prevention, including during pregnancy. This study aimed to explore attitudes, experiences and challenges with PrEP to understand what motivates or limits PrEP uptake and adherence specifically during pregnancy among this population of young women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants, recruited from the Prevention on PrEP (POPPi) study in the Good Health for Women Project clinic in Kampala, Uganda. POPPi's inclusion criteria comprised of HIV-uninfected women, aged 15-24, who exchange sex for money or commodities. Interviews focused on experience with PrEP and pregnancy. Data were analyzed utilizing a framework analysis approach. Key themes were comprised of participant barriers to and facilitators of PrEP uptake and adherence. Reasons for PrEP initiation included desire for autonomy and agency, mistrust of partners, and social support. Participants expressed challenges with initiating or sustaining their use of PrEP, including pregnancy, PrEP access and perceived or felt stigma. During pregnancy, participants' primary motivators for altering PrEP use were either understanding of PrEP safety for their baby or changes in perceptions of their HIV risk. Many of these factors were similar across participants who had experience with pregnancy and those who did not. This study highlights the importance of addressing barriers to and facilitators of PrEP uptake and persistence, especially during pregnancy where risk is elevated, with a multi-level approach. Community-oriented education, stigma reduction activities alongside access to PrEP, can serve as means for adherence. The development of robust PrEP support services and guidelines regarding PrEP use during pregnancy among high-risk women, and strategies for their implementation, are of utmost importance for the control of HIV in key populations and the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
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spelling doaj-art-6f75b18c296e420ebd8bd7a342bef4e02025-08-20T02:22:28ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752023-01-0136e000043410.1371/journal.pgph.0000434PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy.Shivali JoshiCatherine NamudduFrancis Xavier KasujjaMiriam MirembeJaco HomsyJanet SeeleyRachel KingPregnant young women who exchange sex for money or commodities are at elevated biological and social risk for HIV acquisition. PrEP serves as an effective means of HIV prevention, including during pregnancy. This study aimed to explore attitudes, experiences and challenges with PrEP to understand what motivates or limits PrEP uptake and adherence specifically during pregnancy among this population of young women. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 23 participants, recruited from the Prevention on PrEP (POPPi) study in the Good Health for Women Project clinic in Kampala, Uganda. POPPi's inclusion criteria comprised of HIV-uninfected women, aged 15-24, who exchange sex for money or commodities. Interviews focused on experience with PrEP and pregnancy. Data were analyzed utilizing a framework analysis approach. Key themes were comprised of participant barriers to and facilitators of PrEP uptake and adherence. Reasons for PrEP initiation included desire for autonomy and agency, mistrust of partners, and social support. Participants expressed challenges with initiating or sustaining their use of PrEP, including pregnancy, PrEP access and perceived or felt stigma. During pregnancy, participants' primary motivators for altering PrEP use were either understanding of PrEP safety for their baby or changes in perceptions of their HIV risk. Many of these factors were similar across participants who had experience with pregnancy and those who did not. This study highlights the importance of addressing barriers to and facilitators of PrEP uptake and persistence, especially during pregnancy where risk is elevated, with a multi-level approach. Community-oriented education, stigma reduction activities alongside access to PrEP, can serve as means for adherence. The development of robust PrEP support services and guidelines regarding PrEP use during pregnancy among high-risk women, and strategies for their implementation, are of utmost importance for the control of HIV in key populations and the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0000434&type=printable
spellingShingle Shivali Joshi
Catherine Namuddu
Francis Xavier Kasujja
Miriam Mirembe
Jaco Homsy
Janet Seeley
Rachel King
PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy.
PLOS Global Public Health
title PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy.
title_full PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy.
title_fullStr PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy.
title_full_unstemmed PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy.
title_short PrEP uptake and persistence amongst HIV-negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in Kampala, Uganda: A qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy.
title_sort prep uptake and persistence amongst hiv negative women who exchange sex for money or commodities in kampala uganda a qualitative inquiry assessing the influence of pregnancy
url https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0000434&type=printable
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