Infectious Disease · 2 h ago
Study finds high reported oral PrEP adherence in Gulu, Uganda
A cross-sectional study of 460 HIV-negative partners in serodifferent relationships at four health facilities in Gulu District found 92.2% reported good adherence to oral PrEP. Adherence was associated with perceived HIV risk, education, concerns about side effects, family support and forgetfulness.
- 92.2% reported good oral PrEP adherence.
- Study included 460 participants at four Gulu facilities.
- Forgetfulness and lack of family support were associated with lower adherence.
- Cross-sectional, self-reported findings cannot establish causation.
Researchers recruited 460 HIV-negative partners in serodifferent relationships at four health facilities in Gulu District, Uganda, between July and August 2024. Participants completed a modified AIDS Clinical Trials Group adherence questionnaire. The cross-sectional study assessed self-reported adherence to oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) and factors associated with it.
Good adherence was reported by 424 participants (92.2%; 95% CI, 89.4–94.3). Higher perceived HIV acquisition risk (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR], 1.54; 95% CI, 1.23–1.95), tertiary education (aPR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00–1.05) and not fearing side effects (aPR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.02–1.39) were associated with good adherence. Lack of family support (aPR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85–0.97) and forgetfulness (aPR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.92–0.99) were associated with lower adherence.
The findings point to potential targets for adherence support, including reminders, counseling about side effects and support involving family where appropriate. However, the cross-sectional design cannot establish cause and effect, and adherence was self-reported. Results from selected facilities in one Ugandan district may not apply to other settings or PrEP populations.
In practice
For clinicians supporting HIV-negative partners in serodifferent relationships who use oral TDF/FTC PrEP, the findings identify forgetfulness, side-effect concerns and limited family support as factors associated with adherence in this Gulu cohort. Reminders and adherence counseling may be relevant support considerations, but this study did not test those interventions or show that they improve adherence. The cross-sectional design, self-reported adherence and recruitment from four facilities in one district limit causal interpretation and generalizability; the results do not establish a need to change PrEP practice.
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BMC Public Health: Prevalence and factors associated with pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence among HIV-negative partners in serodifferent relationships attending selected health facilities in Gulu District, Uganda ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.