Willingness to take long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men who participated in the CROPrEP study: a cross-sectional online study

Yingjie Liu; Zhenxing Chu; Hongyi Wang; XiaoJie Huang; YaoKai Chen; Hui Wang; Dehua Zou; YongJun Jiang; WenQing Geng; Qinghai Hu; Baosen Zhou; Hong Shang

doi:10.1186/s12889-023-17325-9

Willingness to take long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men who participated in the CROPrEP study: a cross-sectional online study

BMC Public Health. 2023 Dec 13;23(1):2494. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-17325-9.

Authors

Yingjie Liu^{1

2

3}, Zhenxing Chu^{1

2

3}, Hongyi Wang^{1

2

3}, XiaoJie Huang⁴, YaoKai Chen⁵, Hui Wang⁶, Dehua Zou^{1

2

3}, YongJun Jiang^{1

2

3}, WenQing Geng^{1

2

3}, Qinghai Hu^{7

8

9}, Baosen Zhou^{10

11}, Hong Shang^{12

13

14}

Affiliations

¹ NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155 Nanjing N St, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110001, China.
² Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
³ Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China.
⁴ Infectious Disease Department, Beijing Youan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁵ Chongqing Public Health Medical Center, Chongqing, China.
⁶ Department of Infectious Diseases, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
⁷ NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155 Nanjing N St, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110001, China. qinghaihucn@163.com.
⁸ Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. qinghaihucn@163.com.
⁹ Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. qinghaihucn@163.com.
¹⁰ NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155 Nanjing N St, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110001, China. bszhou@cmu.edu.cn.
¹¹ Department of Clinical Epidemiology, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155 Nanjing N St, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110001, China. bszhou@cmu.edu.cn.
¹² NHC Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, National Clinical Research Center for Laboratory Medicine, China Medical University, The First Hospital of China Medical University, No. 155 Nanjing N St, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110001, China. hongshang100@hotmail.com.
¹³ Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology of Liaoning Province, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. hongshang100@hotmail.com.
¹⁴ Key Laboratory of AIDS Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China. hongshang100@hotmail.com.

Abstract

Introduction: Evidence on the willingness of men who have sex with men (MSM) with oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) experience, especially those with suboptimal adherence, to take long-acting injectable PrEP (LAI-PrEP) is critical to guide future LAI-PrEP implementation.

Objective: The objective was to assess the willingness of MSM with oral PrEP experience to take LAI-PrEP.

Methods: MSM who participated in the China Real-world Study of Oral PrEP (CROPrEP) were enrolled in this study. Information on the willingness of MSM to take LAI-PrEP and potential correlates was collected using a structured online questionnaire. The main outcomes were the willingness of MSM to take LAI-PrEP and its association with HIV-related behaviours, sexually transmitted infections, and oral PrEP history. Logistic regression was used to identify correlates of the willingness of MSM to take LAI-PrEP.

Results: A total of 612 former CROPrEP participants (FCPs) were included in this study. There were 315 (51.5%) daily oral PrEP (D-PrEP) users and 297 (48.5%) event-driven oral PrEP (ED-PrEP) users at the last follow-up. Most FCPs (77.8%) were willing to take free LAI-PrEP. FCPs with no less than two sexual male partners (aOR = 1.54, [95% CI: 1.04, 2.29], P = 0.031), those with male partners with unknown HIV statuses (aOR = 2.04, [95% CI: 1.31, 3.18], P = 0.002), those with recreational drug use (aOR = 1.58, [95% CI: 1.05, 2.40], P = 0.030), and those with HSV-2 positivity (aOR = 2.15, [95% CI: 1.30, 3.57], P = 0.003) were more willing to take LAI-PrEP, while ED-PrEP users (aOR = 0.66, [95% CI: 0.45, 0.98], P = 0.037) and FCPs with suboptimal oral PrEP adherence (aOR = 0.58, [95% CI: 0.36, 0.94], P = 0.026) were less willing to take LAI-PrEP.

Conclusion: LAI-PrEP has good prospects for expanding PrEP coverage. However, FCPs with suboptimal oral PrEP adherence are less likely to take LAI-PrEP. Further intervention and implementation efforts are needed to improve the willingness of MSM to use LAI-PrEP, and sexual health should be considered during the discussion about PrEP initiation.

Keywords: Factor; HIV; Long-acting injectable; Men who have sex with men; Pre-exposure prophylaxis; Willingness.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Anti-HIV Agents* / therapeutic use
Cross-Sectional Studies
HIV Infections* / drug therapy
HIV Infections* / prevention & control
Homosexuality, Male
Humans
Male
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis*
Sexual and Gender Minorities*

Substances

Anti-HIV Agents

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding