Engagement of HIV-negative MSM and partners of people with HIV in HIV cure (research): exploring the influence of perceived severity, susceptibility, benefits, and concerns

As the prospect of an HIV cure is gaining prominence, engaging key populations affected by an HIV cure becomes essential. This study examined the engagement of HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) and/or partners of people with HIV (PHIV) in the Netherlands. Interviews were conducted with 19...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:AIDS care 2024-07, Vol.36 (sup1), p.211-222
Main Authors: Noorman, Maaike A. J., de Wit, John B. F., Marcos, Tamika A., Stutterheim, Sarah E., Jonas, Kai J., den Daas, Chantal
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
community engagement
Community involvement
Community participation
Cure
Eradication
HIV
HIV cure
Human immunodeficiency virus
Men who have sex with men
MSM
partners
Population studies
Relevance
SDG3: good health and well-being
Severity
Sexually transmitted diseases
social engagement
STD
Susceptibility
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Summary:As the prospect of an HIV cure is gaining prominence, engaging key populations affected by an HIV cure becomes essential. This study examined the engagement of HIV-negative men who have sex with men (MSM) and/or partners of people with HIV (PHIV) in the Netherlands. Interviews were conducted with 19 MSM not in relationships with a partner with HIV and 16 partners of PHIV and were thematically analyzed. Perspectives on the importance of an HIV cure were shaped by the perceived severity of HIV and the level of susceptibility to the virus. Despite concerns about potential new HIV infections and treatment intensity, most participants believed that an HIV cure could reduce HIV burden. Both HIV eradication and HIV suppression were regarded as acceptable outcomes. Engagement was demonstrated through actions like accessing information, participating in research, and showing support for partners or community members involved in HIV cure research. In conclusion, we found that most participants were engaged due to their heightened perception of HIV's severity. However, this engagement tended to remain passive due to their perceived low susceptibility to HIV, resulting in a scenario where the perceived importance of an HIV cure is high, while personal relevance remains low.
ISSN:0954-0121
1360-0451
1360-0451
DOI:10.1080/09540121.2024.2307381