Associations between perceived barriers and benefits of using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis and medication adherence among men who have sex with men in Western China

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases 2018-11, Vol.18 (1), p.575-575, Article 575
• Main Authors: Hu, Ying, Zhong, Xiao-Ni, Peng, Bin, Zhang, Yan, Liang, Hao, Dai, Jiang-Hong, Zhang, Ju-Ying, Huang, Ai-Long
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adherence; Adhesion; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; AIDS; Analysis; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Barriers and benefits; Care and treatment; China - epidemiology; Clinical trials; Communication Barriers; Control; Disease prevention; Drugs; Exposure; Health aspects; HIV; HIV infections; HIV Infections - prevention & control; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Infections; Infectious diseases; Male; Medication adherence; Medication Adherence - psychology; Medication Adherence - statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; MSM; MSM (Men who have sex with men); Patient compliance; Perception; Physician-patient relations; Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis - methods; Pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP; Prophylaxis; Self Report; Sex industry; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Sexually transmitted diseases; Side effects; STD; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tenofovir; Tenofovir - therapeutic use; Transgender persons; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/s12879-018-3497-7

To investigate the associations between the perceived barriers and benefits of using HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis medication, including worries about the side effects, disliking taking drugs, perceived burden of taking medication, positive expectations as to the efficacy of the drugs, favourable doctor-patient relationships, and medication adherence among men who have sex with men (MSM) to provide a target for improving medication adherence and reducing HIV infection among MSM. MSM were recruited in western China from April 2013 to October 2014, administered oral tenofovir (TDF) daily and followed up every 12 weeks for 2 years. At each follow-up, the medication rate was calculated based on the self-reported number of missed doses over 2 weeks, and then, the medication adherence was evaluated. The barriers and benefits perceived during medication were obtained by a self-administered questionnaire, and their effects on medication adherence were analysed by linear mixed models. A total of 411 participants were enrolled in this study, and 1561 follow-up observation points were obtained. The average medication rate was 0.62 ± 0.37, and the medication rate increased with longer follow-up (P