Affiliation:
1. Section of Infectious Diseases and Global Health University of Chicago Medicine Chicago Illinois USA
2. Department of Infectious Diseases Saint Louis and Lariboisière Hospitals Paris France
3. Research Organisation Kings Cross London UK
4. Department of HIV Medicine Chelsea & Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust London UK
5. Department Clinical Research London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine London UK
6. INSERM UMR 944 Paris France
7. Paris Cité University Paris France
Abstract
AbstractObjectivesWe conducted a survey to evaluate HIV pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) practices in a European clinical research network on HIV, hepatitis, and global infectious diseases (NEAT ID).MethodsAn online survey comprising 22 questions was sent via a secure electronic tool to the investigating physician of each of the 342 NEAT ID study centres across 15 European countries in November 2020.ResultsIn total, 50 sites from 12 countries responded (15% response rate). Most sites were in Western Europe, two were in Poland, and one was in Hungary. Of the responding sites, 45 provided PrEP services for a total of 27 416 PrEP users, with 1361 new PrEP initiators each month. These centres supplied PrEP for men who have sex with men (100%), people who inject drugs (84%), sex workers (84%), women (62%), and transgender women (31%). PrEP persistence after 1 year was >90%, 75%–90%, and 40%–75% in 17, 24, and 4 centres, respectively. In total, 32/45 (71%) centres reported strong community‐based organization commitment at their site, and 15/45 (33%) centres developed task‐shifting processes to deliver PrEP through nurses (11/15), pharmacists (5/15), and key‐population peers (2/15). The biggest barriers to implementation of PrEP were low awareness of and knowledge about PrEP (47%), unwillingness to disclose sexual identity or at‐risk behaviour (36%), and lack of administrative support (29%). Of the 45 centres, 32 (71%) have already been involved in PrEP research and 43 (96%) were interested in participating in such studies.ConclusionsThe few NEAT ID centres that responded to the survey showed disparities in PrEP deployment and practices despite a common interest in participating in research in this field.
Subject
Pharmacology (medical),Infectious Diseases,Health Policy