Factors associated with PrEP knowledge and intention to use PrEP among HIV-negative men and trans women sex workers in Spain

ABSTRACT

Lack of data regarding knowledge and intention to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among sex workers exists in Spain. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis based on data from SexCohort study, which included male (MSW) and trans women sex workers (TWSW), aged ≥18 and recruited in two community-based centres in Barcelona, Spain. Of 116 TWSW and 79 MSW, 49.1% and 58.2% had factual knowledge of PrEP, and 40.3% and 70.1% had the intention to use PrEP, respectively. In the multivariable analyses, we found that education and condomless anal sex with stable partners were associated with PrEP knowledge. Regarding intention to use PrEP, TWSW were less likely than MSW to report an intention to use it (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.16–0.74). Furthermore, intention to use PrEP was associated with being foreign-born, practicing chemsex, and visiting a medical service in the last 12 months. The results of this study inform future trans-specific guidance for PrEP to be effectively implemented in Spain.

KEYWORDS:

• Sex workers
• trans women sex workers
• PrEP use
• PrEP knowledge
• Catalonia

Acknowledgements

We thank to the following organizations and researchers from the SexCohort Study Group:

• CEEISCAT: C Folch, L Ferrer, V González, R Muñoz, J Mesías-Gazmuri, L Egea, J Casabona

• Laboratorio Clínico Metropolitana Norte, Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol (HGTP): E Martró, V Saludes, S Gonzalez, A Antuori

• Programa de Recerca d’Epidemiologia del Càncer (PREC), Institut Català d’Oncologia (ICO): L Alemany, MA Pavón, S Paytubi, A Esteban, M Vergara, V Rodríguez, F Morey, S Tous, A Montoliu, S de Sanjosé

• STOP: L Villegas, M Villar, H Adell, K Santander

• Fundació Àmbit Prevenció: M Meroño, M Cebrián, C Carrascal

• Gaispositius: E Longares

• Metges del Món: L Martínez

• Servei Trànsit: R Almirall

• Programa de Prevenció, Control i Atenció al VIH, les ITS i les Hepatitis Víriques (PCAVIHV). Agència de Salut Pública de Catalunya: R Mansilla, P Lletjós

• Departament d’Epidemiologia I Metodologia de les Ciènces Socials i de la Salut de Manresa, UVic-UCC: G Drou-Roget, A Álvarez-Vargas

This paper is part of the doctoral thesis of Jocelyn Mesías-Gazmuri, who is studying for her PhD in Methodology of Biomedical Research and Public Health from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Statement regarding informed consent

The participants were informed of the objectives of the study, and written informed consent was obtained.

Statement regarding ethical approval

This study received ethical clearance from the involved institutions.

Statement regarding the welfare of animals

Not applicable.

Ethics approval

This study received ethical clearance from the Institutional Research Committee of the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital, Badalona, Spain (N°: PI-18-248).

Consent to participate

The participants were informed of the objectives of the study, and written informed consent was obtained.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Availability of data and material

Data and material are available upon request to the CEEISCAT ([email protected]).

Code availability

Codebook is available upon request.

Authors’ contributions

Conceptualization: İbrahim Sönmez. Methodology; Data collection: H. Adell and M. Meroño; Data analysis: İbrahim Sönmez. Writing—original draft preparation: İbrahim Sönmez; writing—review and editing: Jocelyn Mesías-Gazmuri, Cinta Folch. Supervision: Cinta Folch. All authors made substantial contributions in reviewing the article and approving the final version of the manuscript.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by ISCIII-FEDER (European Regional Development Fund) (PI18/01481).