Examining the uptake, barriers and motivators of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis among adolescent girls and young women in the slums of Nairobi.

November 15, 2022

Jane Osindo, Elizabeth Kemigisha, Abdhalah Ziraba

Background

Sub-Saharan Africa continues to see an increase in new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) aged 15-24 years. In 2015, Kenya adopted the use of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as one of the strategies to prevent HIV transmission among high-risk AGYW.  The Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS free, Mentored, and Safe lives/women (DREAMS) initiative, one of the PrEP implementation programs, is providing a comprehensive package of interventions aimed at lowering the risks of HIV acquisition among  AGYW in Kenya.

Problem statement

Since the DREAMS initiative’s inception in 2015, the understanding and use of PrEP among AGYW in DREAMS implementing sites is poorly understood.

Objectives:

  • Establish levels of awareness, acceptability and uptake of PrEP among AGYW in Korogocho and Viwandani
  • To assess the barriers and facilitators affecting uptake of PrEP among AGYW
  • To describe the health policy and system factors determining access to PrEP among AGYW

Methods

This study will use data from an ongoing non-experimental mixed methods (quantitative and qualitative) impact evaluation study. We shall leverage on data from four rounds of data collection conducted in 2017 to 2022 among a closed cohort of AGYW in Korogocho and Viwandani.  The quantitative tool captures data on awareness and use of PrEP among DREAMS vs non-DREAMS beneficiaries. Additionally, for objective two and three we shall conduct qualitative interviews using participatory methods among selected DREAMS and non-DREAMS beneficiaries and other key stakeholders including county and sub-county HIV coordinators, and providers of PrEP in Korogocho and Viwandani. The socio-ecological framework for health behavior change will guide the inquiry.

Alignment with ERID unit strategic plan 2022 to 2026

This area of research aligns to the ERID unit’s objective to describe and identify gaps in the coverage of interventions against emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.