Haffejee Firoza, Fasanmi-Kana Olayinka, Ally Fazila, Thandar Yasmeen, Basdav Jyotika
Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa.
AIDS Care. 2023 Apr;35(4):466-473. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2022.2032573. Epub 2022 Feb 2.
HIV incidence remains high among South Africans, with low uptake of preventative measures such as condom use. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which protects HIV-negative individuals from infection, was first introduced in SA in 2016. This study determined the knowledge of PrEP among university students ( = 282) and primary health care clinic users (= 358) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey. The study population was at high-risk of HIV infection, with early age of sexual debut, multiple concurrent sexual partners and inconsistent condom usage. Only 12.3% ( = 79) stated that they had a full understanding of PrEP, which was higher among university students (9.8%; = 63) than clinic users (2.5%; = 16; < 0.001). Specific PrEP knowledge was, however, low. Health Science students did not have a better knowledge than students from other faculties. Neither did users of clinics offering PrEP have a better knowledge than users of clinics not offering PrEP. Moreover, few participants (15%; = 96) were aware of the availability of PrEP at their local clinic. Interventions to address the low level of PrEP knowledge within the population are required, to reduce the high HIV incidence.
在南非人中，艾滋病毒感染率仍然很高，诸如使用避孕套等预防措施的采用率很低。暴露前预防（PrEP）可保护艾滋病毒阴性个体免受感染，于2016年首次在南非引入。本研究确定了南非夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省大学生（n = 282）和初级卫生保健诊所使用者（n = 358）对PrEP的了解情况。通过横断面调查收集数据。研究人群处于艾滋病毒感染的高风险中，性初次接触年龄早、有多个性伴侣且避孕套使用不一致。只有12.3%（n = 79）的人表示他们对PrEP有充分了解，其中大学生中的比例（9.8%；n = 63）高于诊所使用者（2.5%；n = 16；P < 0.001）。然而，对PrEP的具体知识了解程度较低。健康科学专业的学生并不比其他院系的学生了解得更好。提供PrEP的诊所的使用者也不比不提供PrEP的诊所的使用者了解得更好。此外，很少有参与者（15%；n = 96）知道他们当地诊所提供PrEP。需要采取干预措施来解决人群中对PrEP知识了解不足的问题，以降低高艾滋病毒感染率。
