Understanding women and men’s acceptability of current and new HIV prevention technologies in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

ABSTRACT

Despite significant advances to the HIV epidemic, prevention remains a challenge globally. Adolescent girls and young women in southern and Eastern Africa are still at high risk of acquiring HIV infection with limited prevention options. The expanding product pipeline of novel drugs and delivery approaches has highlighted the importance of acceptability and uptake of these anti-retroviral based products to realize their full prevention potential. Community engagement is now imperative to inform both product development and uptake; with research directed to understand what potential users are willing to use given the broader cultural-gender context in which HIV prevention product choices are made/negotiated.

We conducted ten gender specific discussion groups with 112 participants in three of the eight highest HIV prevalence districts in urban, peri-urban, and rural KwaZulu-Natal. The participants where purposively selected according to age, location and sex. The data was analysed thematically in terms of the key enablers and barriers of accepting three key HIV dosing strategies; the oral pill, the vaginal ring and the injectable among men and women.

The study found that women are willing to consider HIV prevention options that align with their current sexual and reproductive health routines, offers the longest duration of protection, and requires minimal/no partner involvement, in contrast most men were not supportive of their partners using of any form of PrEP, irrespective of dosing strategies and formulations as it raised questions of infidelity and side effects on men. The findings is indicative of the complexities of women’s product choices, which are often embedded in a system of personal preference on an intrapersonal level, but also of male dominance, gender norms and cultural contexts at an interpersonal level.

Understanding this intrapersonal-interpersonal interplay can enhance PrEP messaging and promotion; further highlighting the need to expand biomedical innovations for women initiated technologies.

KEYWORDS:

• Pre-exposure prophylaxis
• acceptability
• HIV prevention
• South Africa
• women

Acknowledgements

We pay tribute to the women and men who participated in this research; their dedication and commitment made this study possible. We also acknowledge and thank Ms Phiwe Nota and Ms Londeka Mbewe, from the Centre for Culture, Communication and Media Studies, and Ms Natasha Gounder for their comments and input in the drafting of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.