Abstract
BackgroundDrug users are regarded as a high-risk population for HIV infection. Non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) is internationally regarded as an effective biomedical prevention against HIV but still a small-scale pilot project in China at present. The aim of this study was to understand drug users’ awareness of and willingness to use nPEP service in China.MethodsThis mixed methods study consisting of a qualitative study and a cross-sectional survey was conducted in two cities of China from 2018 to 2019. The in-depth interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic framework analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to examine factors associated with drug users’ awareness of and willingness to use nPEP.ResultsThere were 401 and 19 participants included in quantitative and qualitative study respectively. Among participants in quantitative study, 30.2% had heard of nPEP and 56.7% reported willingness to use nPEP in future HIV exposure. In multivariate analyses, nPEP awareness was associated with age, sex, education level, AIDS knowledge score and HIV risk perception. nPEP willingness was associated with AIDS knowledge score, HIV risk perception, alcohol use, monthly income and awareness of nPEP. The qualitative results showed the barriers to nPEP willingness included the fatigue after taking drugs, high cost and side effects of nPEP medication, long nPEP course, and fear of privacy disclosure.ConclusionDrug users had low nPEP awareness and only about half participants reported willingness to use nPEP. It is essential to promote nPEP education campaigns among drug users, especially for elders, women and those with lower education level. Simultaneously, price regulation, side effect management, psychological support and privacy protection need to be managed well when nPEP is routinized.
Highlights
Drug users are regarded as a high-risk population for HIV infection
The aim of this study was to understand drug users’ awareness of and willingness to use Non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) service and explore potential barriers to nPEP willingness and suggestions for this service, which will facilitate the development of nPEP guideline and routinization of this service among drug users in China and worldwide
Quantitative results Sample characteristics For quantitative study, a total of 401 eligible participants were included in the analysis
Summary
Drug users are regarded as a high-risk population for HIV infection. The aim of this study was to understand drug users’ awareness of and willingness to use nPEP service in China. Illicit drug use is recognized as a contributor to the disease burden worldwide [1]. It was estimated that more than a quarter of billion people worldwide had used illicit drugs at least once in 2015 [2]. The number of newly HIV-infected injection drug users increased. Jiao et al BMC Infectious Diseases (2022) 22:151 from 114,000 in 2011 to 152,000 in 2015, and the prevalence of HIV among injection drug users worldwide was 11.8% in 2016 [2]. The drug users were defined as people who used “traditional drugs” and/or the new-type drugs by any means including injection
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