Awareness and perception of accuracy of the Undetectable=Untransmittable message (U=U) in Italy: results from a survey among PLWHA, infectious-diseases physicians and people having unprotected sex

ABSTRACT

Evidences on the absence of risk of sexual transmission of HIV by persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) with undetectable plasma HIV-RNA (HIV-RNA <200 copies/ml) led to the worldwide campaign “U = U” (undetectable = untransmittable). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the perceived accuracy of this message among PLWHA, HIV-negative people having unprotected sex (PHUS) and infectious diseases’ (ID) physicians in Italy. A nationwide survey has been conducted using three different anonymous questionnaires (for ID physicians, PLWHA and PHUS). A total of 1121 participants filled the questionnaires: 397 PLWHA; 90 physicians; 634 PHUS. Awareness of U = U message has been reported in 74%, 92% and 47% of PLWHA, ID physicians and PHUS, respectively. The perception of accuracy of the U = U message among those aware was reported as high in 80.4%, 79.5% and 67.3% of PLWHA, ID physicians and PHUS, respectively. Physicians perceived that 11% of PLWHA have a high rate of perception of U = U, whereas among PLWHA, only 34% reported definitive positive messages from physicians. Discrepancies between awareness and perception of accuracy of the message U = U in PLWHA and physicians have been found, suggesting still low confidence in the community regarding the message itself.

KEYWORDS:

• Undetectable
• untransmittable
• U = U
• awareness
• accuracy
• HIV

Acknowledgments

Icona Fundation Study Group: Board of Directors: A. d’Arminio Monforte (President), A. Antinori (Vice-President), M. Andreoni, A. Castagna, F. Castelli, R. Cauda, G. Di Perri, M. Galli, R. Iardino, G. Ippolito, A. Lazzarin, G.C. Marchetti, G. Rezza, F. von Schloesser, P. Viale. Scientific Secretary: A. d’Arminio Monforte, A. Antinori, A. Castagna, F. Ceccherini- Silberstein, A. Cozzi-Lepri, E. Girardi, A. Gori, S. Lo Caputo, F. Maggiolo, C. Mussini, M. Puoti, C.F. Perno. Steering Committee: A. Antinori, F. Bai, A. Bandera, S. Bonora, M. Borderi, A. Calcagno, M.R. Capobianchi, A. Castagna, F. Ceccherini-Silberstein, S. Cicalini, A. Cingolani, P. Cinque, A. Cozzi-Lepri, A. d’Arminio Monforte, A. Di Biagio, R. Gagliardini, E. Girardi, N. Gianotti, A. Gori, G. Guaraldi, G. Lapadula, M. Lichtner, A. Lai, S. Lo Caputo, G. Madeddu, F. Maggiolo, G. Marchetti, E. Merlini, C. Mussini, S. Nozza, C.F. Perno, S. Piconi, C. Pinnetti, M. Puoti, E. Quiros Roldan, R. Rossotti, S. Rusconi, M.M. Santoro, A. Saracino, L. Sarmati, V. Spagnuolo, V. Svicher, L. Taramasso. Statistical and Monitoring Team: A. Cozzi-Lepri, I. Fanti, L. Galli, P. Lorenzini, A. Rodanó, M. Macchia, A. Tavelli. Community Advisory Board: A. Bove, A. Camposeragna, M. Errico, M. Manfredini, A. Perziano, V. Calvino. Biological Bank INMI: F. Carletti, S. Carrara, A. Di Caro, S. Graziano, F. Petroni, G. Prota, S. Truffa. Participating Physicians and Centres: Italy: A. Giacometti, A. Costantini, V. Barocci (Ancona); G. Angarano, L. Monno, E. Milano (Bari); F. Maggiolo, C. Suardi (Bergamo); P. Viale, V. Donati, G. Verucchi (Bologna); F. Castelnuovo, C. Minardi, E. Quiros Roldan (Brescia); B. Menzaghi, C. Abeli (Busto Arsizio); L. Chessa, F. Pes (Cagliarti); B. Cacopardo, B. Celesia (Catania); J. Vecchiet, K. Falasca (Chieti); A. Pan, S. Lorenzotti (Cremona); L. Sighinolfi, D. Segala (Ferrara); P. Blanc, F. Vichi (Firenze); G. Cassola, M. Bassetti, A. Alessandrini, N. Bobbio, G. Mazzarello (Genova); M. Lichtner, L. Fondaco (Latina); P. Bonfanti, C. Molteni (Lecco); A. Chiodera, P. Milini (Macerata); G. Nunnari, G. Pellicanò (Messina); A. d’Arminio Monforte, M. Galli, A. Lazzarin, G. Rizzardini, M. Puoti, A. Castagna, E.S. Cannizzo, M.C. Moioli, R. Piolini, D. Bernacchia, A. Poli, C. Tincati (Milano); C. Mussini, C. Puzzolante (Modena); C. Migliorino, G. Lapadula (Monza); V. Sangiovanni, G. Borgia, V. Esposito, G. Di Flumeri, I. Gentile, V. Rizzo (Napoli); A.M. Cattelan, G. Parruti, F. Sozio (Pescara); C. Lazzaretti, R. Corsini (Reggio Emilia); M. Andreoni, A. Antinori, R. Cauda, A. Cristaudo, V. Vullo, R. Acinapura, S. Lamonica, M. Capozzi, A. Mondi, A. Cingolani, M. Rivano Capparuccia, G. Iaiani, A. Latini, G. Onnelli, M.M. Plazzi, G. De Girolamo, A. Vergori (Roma); M. Cecchetto, F. Viviani (Rovigo); G. Madeddu, A. De Vito (Sassari); B. Rossetti, F. Montagnani (Siena); A. Franco, R. Fontana Del Vecchio (Siracusa); C. Di Giuli (Terni); P. Caramello, G. Di Perri, S. Bonora, G.C. Orofino, M. Sciandra (Torino); A. Londero (Udine); V. Manfrin, G. Battagin (Vicenza); G. Starnini, A. Ialungo (Viterbo).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The ICONA Foundation is supported by unrestricted grants from Gilead Sciences, Janssen, MSD, and ViiV Healthcare. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.