AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-30DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04503-y
Mary Kate Shapley-Quinn, Siyanda Tenza, Destry Jensen, Thelma Tauya, Lydia Mampuru, Juliane Etima, Doreen Kemigisha, Millicent Atujuna, Lydia Soto-Torres, Sherri Johnson, Nombeko Mpongo, Nomsa Mhlanga, Kenneth Ngure, Ariane van der Straten
{"title":"Adolescent Girls and Young Women Overcoming Adherence Challenges with Vaginal and Oral PrEP Use: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study from a Crossover Trial in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.","authors":"Mary Kate Shapley-Quinn, Siyanda Tenza, Destry Jensen, Thelma Tauya, Lydia Mampuru, Juliane Etima, Doreen Kemigisha, Millicent Atujuna, Lydia Soto-Torres, Sherri Johnson, Nombeko Mpongo, Nomsa Mhlanga, Kenneth Ngure, Ariane van der Straten","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04503-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04503-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rates of HIV acquisition remain high among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa. We explored South African, Ugandan, and Zimbabwean AGYW's experiences in a crossover trial of two HIV prevention products: Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis pills and a monthly dapivirine vaginal ring. A subset of participants (n = 25) across all sites completed up to three serial in-depth interviews (SIDIs). The SIDIs explored barriers to product use, coping strategies, and the resulting outcomes. Coded textual data were analyzed using a product acceptability conceptual framework. Participants in the SIDIs described managing the array of challenges they encountered through formal adherence support, strategic product disclosure, and personally adapted strategies. For both products, perceived discreetness of the product and decision-making around disclosure was an important component of participants' narratives. Participants tailored their coping strategies based on available personal resources (e.g., cell phone alarms for PrEP reminders, social support through disclosure) or study provided resources (e.g., encouragement from staff, adherence groups). Notably, challenges participants encountered with each product during the crossover period helped inform product selection during the choice period. Our findings suggest that-even in a context where AGYW have access to several options for HIV prevention-challenges to consistent product use remain, but accessible support mechanisms and informed choice can help mitigate these challenges. Enacting that choice may also empower AGYW to reach their short and long-term life goals-including for HIV prevention. (NCT03593655, 20th July 2018).</p>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142339257","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-28DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04491-z
Alexis Sims Haynes, Christine Markham, Vanessa Schick, Robert Suchting, Nivedhitha Parthasarathy, Sumaita Choudhury, Mandy J Hill
{"title":"A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of Factors Affecting Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Willingness Among Black Women for HIV Prevention.","authors":"Alexis Sims Haynes, Christine Markham, Vanessa Schick, Robert Suchting, Nivedhitha Parthasarathy, Sumaita Choudhury, Mandy J Hill","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04491-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04491-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can significantly reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission among Black women in the United States (U.S.), a group disproportionately affected by HIV. However, PrEP uptake in this HIV-vulnerable population is low. This review analyzes the factors influencing Black women's PrEP willingness using the Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations (BMVP). Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Study Design (PICOS) framework, we conducted a systematic literature search and selected 24 peer-reviewed studies on PrEP willingness. Narrative synthesis revealed a heterogeneous landscape of the determinants affecting PrEP willingness among Black women, categorized into three main domains. Predisposing demographic and social factors included younger age, unmarried status, higher education, sexual or gender minority identity, trust in healthcare providers, and perceived HIV risk. Predisposing behavioral factors included condomless sex, multiple partners, and engagement in sex work. Socioeconomic status, health insurance, healthcare access, support systems, and structural challenges were identified as enabling factors influencing Black women's PrEP willingness. Finally, the perceived need domain and health-related factors influencing the perceived need for PrEP included a history of sexually transmitted infections (STI), intimate partner violence (IPV), and birth control interference. This study emphasizes the complexity of the barriers and facilitators of PrEP uptake and, thus, the need for tailored interventions and health strategies to promote its use. Addressing the interconnected individual, interpersonal, and structural determinants of PrEP access is crucial for improving PrEP willingness and thereby advancing health equity in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142339256","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-27DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04510-z
Sylvia Shangani, Michael R Winter, Margaret Shea, Theresa W Kim, Kaku So-Armah, Kara M Magane, Scarlett L Bellamy, Richard Saitz, Michael D Stein
{"title":"Social Vulnerability and Mental Health Among People with HIV and Substance Use: The Role of Race.","authors":"Sylvia Shangani, Michael R Winter, Margaret Shea, Theresa W Kim, Kaku So-Armah, Kara M Magane, Scarlett L Bellamy, Richard Saitz, Michael D Stein","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04510-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04510-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Poor mental health significantly impacts people with HIV (PWH) and those who drink alcohol. Limited data exist on the combined effects of social determinants of health (social vulnerability) on mental health in PWH with unhealthy substance use. We investigated the relationship between social vulnerability and poor mental health in PWH and whether this relationship differed by race/ethnicity. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis using data from the Boston ARCH Cohort among PWH with current or past unhealthy substance use. We created a 23-item social vulnerability index (SVI) using a deficit accumulation approach comprised of social determinants of health indicators. We estimated whether higher SVI score is associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms using logistic regression analysis. Among 251 participants with a mean age of 52 (SD = 10) years, 67.3% were male, 52% Black, 21% Hispanic, 19% White, and 73% unemployed. The SVI had a mean of 9.30 (SD = 3.4) with a 1.5-18 range. Nearly two in five persons reported past month heavy alcohol use and 35% illicit drug use. The prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms was 34.4% and 54.2% respectively. Higher SVI score was associated with anxiety symptoms (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.01, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.46, 2.76, p ≤ 0.001), and depressive symptoms (aOR = 2.42, 95% CI 1.74, 3.36, p ≤ 0.001). Race/ethnicity did not moderate the relationship between SVI and each mental health outcome. SVI was significantly associated with poor mental health across racial/ethnicity groups in this cohort. Interventions that address social vulnerability may improve well-being and quality of life for PWH.</p>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142339263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-27DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04514-9
Joseph O Orinda, Victor Mudhune, Valarie Opollo, Calvin Mbeda, Ravindre Panchia, Erica Hamilton, Sufia Dadabhai, Doerieyah Reynolds, Theodorus G M Sandfort
{"title":"Interest in Oral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Among Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transfeminine Persons in HPTN 075, a Multi-center HIV Prevention Study in Sub-Saharan Africa (2015-2017).","authors":"Joseph O Orinda, Victor Mudhune, Valarie Opollo, Calvin Mbeda, Ravindre Panchia, Erica Hamilton, Sufia Dadabhai, Doerieyah Reynolds, Theodorus G M Sandfort","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04514-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04514-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Use of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (O-PrEP) for HIV prevention has not been fully utilized in sub-Saharan Africa, especially among key populations with high HIV incidence and prevalence, including men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). We examined correlates of interest in O-PrEP among participants in the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) Study 075, a prospective cohort study, conducted between 2015 and 2017, across 4 sites in Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa. The study included persons assigned male sex at birth, between 18 and 44 years of age, who reported anal intercourse with a man in the past 3 months. Interest in O-PrEP and potential correlates were assessed among 297 participants who were HIV negative. 52% of the participants reported being aware of PrEP and 73% indicated interest in PrEP once informed about it. PrEP interest was not significantly associated with any of the surveyed demographic or psychosocial variables except study site. Our findings suggest a broad and general interest in O-PrEP among MSM and TGW in sub-Saharan Africa, despite relatively low awareness. While the situation around PrEP will have changed in the included countries, major questions about successful implementation still need to be addressed.</p>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142339259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-26DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04506-9
Jason M Lo Hog Tian, James R Watson, Lynne Cioppa, Michael Murphy, Anthony R Boni, Janet A Parsons, Robert G Maunder, Sean B Rourke
{"title":"The Role of Dimensions of Social Support in the Relationship Between Stigma and Mental Health: A Moderation Analysis.","authors":"Jason M Lo Hog Tian, James R Watson, Lynne Cioppa, Michael Murphy, Anthony R Boni, Janet A Parsons, Robert G Maunder, Sean B Rourke","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04506-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04506-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>HIV stigma remains a barrier to good health and understanding how social support may reduce the negative impact of stigma on health may help with designing stigma interventions. This study aims to understand how different types of social support may moderate or change the nature of the relationship between stigma and mental health. We recruited 327 participants to complete the People Living with HIV Stigma Index at baseline (t<sub>1</sub>) between August 2018 and September 2019 and at follow-up (t<sub>2</sub>) between February 2021 and October 2021. Separate moderation models were created with different types of social support (emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, positive social interaction) as moderators, baseline stigma (internalized, enacted, anticipated) as the antecedent, and mental health (t<sub>2</sub>) as the outcome. Emotional/informational support was a significant moderator for the relationship between enacted (b = -2.12, 95% CI: -3.73, -0.51), internalized (b = -1.72, 95% CI: -3.24, -0.20), and anticipated (b = -2.59, 95% CI: -4.59, -0.60) stigma at t<sub>1</sub> and mental health at t<sub>2</sub>. Tangible support was a significant moderator for internalized stigma (b = -1.54, 95% CI: -2.74, -0.35). Lastly, positive social interaction was a significant moderator for internalized (b = -1.38, 95% CI: -2.71, -0.04) and anticipated stigma (b = -2.14, 95% CI: -3.93, -0.36). In general, the relationship between social support and better mental health was stronger for participants with low stigma. Intervention strategies aimed at both stigma reduction and boosting social supports with different functions may be important for improving the mental health of people living with HIV.</p>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142339264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-23DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04509-6
Christine Horvat Davey, Deepesh Duwadi, J Craig Phillips, Carol Dawson-Rose, Kathleen M Nokes, Joseph Perazzo, Allison R Webel
{"title":"Impact of Body Mass Index and VO2 Max on Symptoms, Physical Activity, and Physical Function in a Multinational Sample of People with HIV.","authors":"Christine Horvat Davey, Deepesh Duwadi, J Craig Phillips, Carol Dawson-Rose, Kathleen M Nokes, Joseph Perazzo, Allison R Webel","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04509-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04509-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>People with HIV (PWH) are at increased risk for metabolic disorders affecting body mass index (BMI), chronic symptoms, and impaired physical function and capacity. Although physical activity improves health and well-being, PWH often do not meet activity recommendations necessary to achieve these benefits. Despite the known impact of symptoms, physical activity, and physical function on health, little is known about the relationships and interactions between these variables and BMI and maximum oxygen consumption during exercise (VO<sub>2</sub> max) in a multinational population of PWH. We examined the relationship of BMI with PROMIS-29 measures, physical activity, strength, flexibility, and VO<sub>2</sub> max in a diverse sample of PWH. Additionally, we examined the relationship of VO<sub>2</sub> max with PROMIS-29 measures. Data from 810 PWH who participated in a cross-sectional study conducted by the International Nursing Network for HIV Research (Study VII) were analyzed. Participants were recruited from 8 sites across the United States, Thailand, and South Africa. BMI was calculated from collected height and weight data. Physical function and symptoms were assessed using the PROMIS-29 measure. Physical activity was assessed using the 7-day Physical Activity Recall. VO<sub>2</sub> max was calculated using sex at birth, age, BMI and the 6-minute Walk Test. Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlational, and regression statistical analyses. Participants had an average age of 49.1 (± 11.1) years, 44% were female, and the average BMI of the sample group was 27 kg/m2 (± 6.7). Increased BMI was associated with decreased 6-minute Walk Test (β=-2.18, p < 0.001), flexibility (β=-0.279, p < 0.001), and VO<sub>2</sub> max (β=-0.598, p < 0.001), even after controlling for covariates (age, sex at birth, country, years living with HIV, and antiretroviral therapy status). BMI was not associated with self-reported physical activity. Increased VO<sub>2</sub> max was associated with increased physical function (β = 0.069, p < 0.001), and decreased pain (β=-0.047, p < 0.006), even after controlling for covariates (country, years living with HIV, and antiretroviral therapy status). Future research should explore development of effective and sustainable symptom self-management interventions in PWH accounting for the potential impact of BMI and VO<sub>2</sub> max.</p>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142279031","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-23DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04482-0
Bankole Olatosi, Rena C. Patel, Xiaoming Li
{"title":"When Pandemics Collide: Actionable Lessons in HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care During the Era of COVID-19","authors":"Bankole Olatosi, Rena C. Patel, Xiaoming Li","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04482-0","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10461-024-04482-0","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The articles in this special issue of <i>AIDS and Behavior</i> focus on the collision between HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 as intersecting pandemics that profoundly impacted communities globally. This editorial highlights the complex interplay between these two public health crises. The pandemic disrupted access to HIV prevention, testing, and treatment services, potentially jeopardizing decades of progress. Mental health challenges and social vulnerability among people living with HIV (PWH) were exacerbated, with preexisting health disparities amplified, disproportionately affecting marginalized populations. However, despite these challenges, the pandemic also spurred innovation and adaptation in HIV prevention and care, with increased use of telehealth and other modalities. The enduring and actionable lessons learned from the collision of HIV and COVID-19 pandemics can prepare us for the next public health challenge with two calls for action. First, we call for integrated and equitable responses that address the multifaceted challenges faced by individuals and communities affected by HIV in the post-COVID-19 era. Second, we call for a strengthened commitment to building resilient health systems and community-engaged interventions that can withstand future challenges.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":"28 1 supplement","pages":"1 - 4"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142279038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-23DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04507-8
Casey Orozco-Poore, Amaya Perez-Brumer, Leyla Huerta, Ximena Salazar, Aron Nunez, Africa Nakamura, Rodrigo Aguayo-Romero, Alfonso Silva-Santisteban, Sari L. Reisner
{"title":"Correction: The “Cycle” of HIV: Limits of Personal Responsibility in HIV Vulnerability among Transgender Adolescents and Young Women in Lima, Peru","authors":"Casey Orozco-Poore, Amaya Perez-Brumer, Leyla Huerta, Ximena Salazar, Aron Nunez, Africa Nakamura, Rodrigo Aguayo-Romero, Alfonso Silva-Santisteban, Sari L. Reisner","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04507-8","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10461-024-04507-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":"28 11","pages":"3908 - 3909"},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10461-024-04507-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142279030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AIDS and BehaviorPub Date : 2024-09-23DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04505-w
Alexis A Bender, David J Moore, Molly M Perkins, Riley Hunt, Regine Haardörfer
{"title":"A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the NIH Emotions Toolbox Among People Living with HIV and Who May Use Methamphetamine.","authors":"Alexis A Bender, David J Moore, Molly M Perkins, Riley Hunt, Regine Haardörfer","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04505-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s10461-024-04505-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The National Institutes of Health Toolbox Emotion Battery (NIHTB-EB) was developed to provide researchers and clinicians with a concise tool for measuring emotional health. The NIHTB-EB has been validated and normed in English and Spanish-speaking populations in the United States. However, its application in certain groups, such as people living with HIV (PWH) and who may use methamphetamine has not been tested. This paper evaluates the factor structure in a sample of people without HIV and PWH who may or may not use methamphetamine. The sample included 773 adults ages 18 to 87. The factorial structure of the NIHTB-EB was examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in the full sample and among four subgroups based on HIV status and methamphetamine use. The CFA confirmed a three-factor structure that mirrors the previously validated structure with latent factors measuring negative affect, social relationships, and psychological well-being for three subgroups. While each latent factor was confirmed in all groups, we could not confirm, with confidence, the full battery in the smallest subgroup (HIV-seronegative participants who use methamphetamine). The three-factor NIHTB-EB is appropriate for use among PWH who may use methamphetamine, but further examination with larger samples is warranted.</p>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142279029","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Low Level of Accurate Knowledge of Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (U = U) Among Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM) Challenges U = U Achievement in Chengdu, Southwestern China.","authors":"Zhengli Shi, Jinghua Li, Hao Lin, Xiaodong Wang, Wangnan Cao, Yuhui Shi","doi":"10.1007/s10461-024-04502-z","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04502-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The introduction of the undetectable equals untransmittable (U = U) statement significantly reduces HIV stigma and provides an empirical basis for achieving \"zero transmission.\" U = U messaging has gained increasing support and is well-developed in several countries. However, the current status of accurate knowledge of U = U and its associated factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China remians unclear. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among MSM recruited in Chengdu, China, from March to May 2022 to investigate the percentage of those who knew U = U accurately and to explore associations between sexual risk behaviors, HIV testing, socio-behavioral measures, and accurate knowledge of U = U. Of 497 MSM included in our study, 23.4% (116/497) had accurate knowledge of U = U. More than half of the participants (63.2%, 314/497) reported multiple sexual partnerships, 15.7% (78/497) used substance during sex, 37.4% (186/497) reported inconsistent condom use, and 76.1% (378/497) took HIV testing in the past six months. Factors associated with accurate knowledge of U = U among MSM included substance use during sex (multivariate odds ratios ORm = 1.96; 95%CI: 1.13-3.41), HIV status tested in the last six months (ORm = 2.07; 95%CI: 1.14-3.77), HIV-related literacy (ORm = 1.41; 95%CI: 1.14-1.74) and perceived higher risk of HIV infection (ORm = 1.11; 95%CI: 1.02-1.21). The findings indicate that great challenges need to be conquered for U = U achievement among the MSM population in Chengdu, China. Intervention strategies should be prioritized in health education on high-risk behaviors such as group sex and substance use, information provision and counseling of U = U in HIV testing services, and encouraging U = U knowledge sharing among MSM with their partners in China.</p>","PeriodicalId":7543,"journal":{"name":"AIDS and Behavior","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142279032","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}