Gearing up for PrEP in the Middle East and North Africa: An Initial Look at Willingness to Take PrEP among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men in Beirut, Lebanon
| Autor: | Susan M. Kegeles, Erik D. Storholm, Matt G. Mutchler, Jacques Mokhbat, Elie Balan, Glenn J. Wagner, Bonnie Ghosh-Dastidar |
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| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Male
Pediatric AIDS Beirut Clinical Sciences Sense of community substance use HIV Infections North africa Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGM/LGBT*) Hiv risk Article HIV-prevention Men who have sex with men Sexual and Gender Minorities 03 medical and health sciences 0302 clinical medicine young men who have sex with men Clinical Research Behavioral and Social Science Humans Psychology 030212 general & internal medicine Homosexuality Male Lebanon Applied Psychology Pediatric 030505 public health Middle East Prevention Homosexuality Patient Acceptance of Health Care PrEP gay community Psychiatry and Mental health Mental Health Good Health and Well Being Cohort Public Health and Health Services HIV/AIDS Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis peer communication Public Health Substance use Infection 0305 other medical science Anal sex Adolescent Sexual Activity Demography |
| Zdroj: | Behavioral medicine (Washington, D.C.), vol 47, iss 2 Behav Med |
| ISSN: | 1940-4026 0896-4289 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/08964289.2019.1661822 |
| Popis: | The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is one of only two global regions where rates of HIV are currently on the rise. In Lebanon, new HIV infections are increasing most rapidly among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). While, the majority of YMSM in Lebanon report having recently engaged in condomless anal intercourse, many report reluctance to seek HIV prevention services for fear of stigma and discrimination. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective alternative HIV prevention strategy but there is a dearth of research looking at willingness to take PrEP among YMSM in MENA. This study is the first to delineate factors associated with willingness to take PrEP among a cohort of 218 YMSM recruited from Beirut, Lebanon. Over half (55.5%) reported willingness to take PrEP. At the bivariate level, knowledge of HIV risk, awareness of PrEP, being in a relationship, greater judgementalism about sex in communication with peers, greater number of types of gay-related discrimination experienced, sense of community among YMSM, having had recent condomless anal sex with positive or unknown status partner, and the use of substances just prior to or during sex were each associated with greater willingness to take PrEP. When entered into a linear regression analysis, use of substances just prior to or during sex and sense of community among YMSM remained significant predictors of PrEP willingness. Intervention efforts focused on increasing PrEP uptake among YMSM in MENA should consider the influence substance use and social factors on willingness to take PrEP. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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