Correlates associated with Adherence among Female Sex Workers on HIV pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Nairobi City County, Kenya
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Date
2024-03
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Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
::LC:C‘>§p?§llrg _prophylaxls (PrEP) is the use of ante-retroviral drug to prevent HIV
.L,n ive lndmlduals who are at risk of acquiring HIV from becoming infected with HIV.
l_’lEP use requires one to commit to taking the drug every day. The effectiveness of PrEP
is conclalgd to adherence to regular uptake of medication. Barriers to good adherence
should be identified and strategies to enhance adherence to PrEP be implemented. Female
sex workers (FSW) are a susceptible group, and they face higher risk of HIV infections.
Truvadz'a, a recommended drug for PrEP contains Tenofovir and emtricitabine. It is a nonnucleotides reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that inhibits viral replications in the
body, thus limiting number of HIV infected cells. The key objective of this study was to
measure correlates for adherence in HIV negative Female Sex Workers to PrEP. This was
accomplished by assessing the levels of knowledge about PrEP, evaluating adherence
levels, examining factors influencing adherence, and analyzing strategies to improve
PrEP adherence. A cross-sectional study design employing a mixed-method approach,
incorporating both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, was conducted
from March to May 2021. The study enrolled 345 female sex workers (FSWs). Among
them, 72% were unfamiliar with the name of PrEP, 39% reported missing PrEP doses,
and 33% acknowledged missing appointments for PrEP refill. Qualitative data indicated a
recommendation for monthly PrEP engagement meetings to bolster adherence. The
research helped in identifying the need for clinical trials to test new products such as long
acting injectable and monthly PrEP pills. This will reduce barriers to adherence thus
enhancing HIV prevention.