Knowledge, Attitudes, and Experiences of HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Trial Participants in Botswana

Lauren Toledo^1,2, Eleanor McLellan-Lemal², Faith L. Henderson², Poloko M. Kebaabetswe^3,4

¹ICF International, Atlanta, USA.
²Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, USA.
³HIV Prevention Research Unit, CDC Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
⁴Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.

DOI: 10.4236/wja.2015.51002                

Abstract

Recent clinical trials have shown that a daily dose of oral TDF/FTC pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is effective in reducing human immunodeficiency (HIV) risk. Understanding trial participants’ perspectives about retention and PrEP adherence is critical to inform future PrEP trials and the scale-up and implementation of PrEP programs. We analyzed 53 in-depth interviews conducted in April 2010 with participants in the TDF2 study, a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, place-bo-controlled clinical trial of daily oral TDF/FTC with heterosexual men and women in Francistown and Gaborone, Botswana. We examined participants’ knowledge, attitudes, and experiences of the trial, identified facilitators and barriers to enrollment and retention, and compared participant responses by study site, sex, and study drug adherence. Our findings point to several factors to consider for participant retention and adherence in PrEP trials and programs, including conducting pre-enrollment education and myth reduction counseling, providing accurate estimates of participant obligations and side effect symptoms, ensuring participant understanding of the effects of non-adherence, gauging personal commitment and interest in study outcomes, and developing a strong external social support network for participants.

Keywords

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, HIV/AIDS, Botswana, Qualitative Research

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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